Black Wolves and Red Rabbits
by Onyx Aries
Summary: A beautiful young exorcist with unique power is introduced to the Black Order. When she catches the attention of Kanda and Lavi, she can't help but form feelings for the two. LavixOC, KandaxOC
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone, for those of you that are new; welcome, and for those of you who were able to find/follow me over, welcome back. I had to delete this story a while back, but I am now re-uploading this with a new username and a new title.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **D Gray-Man Fan Fiction**

I walk up to the gates of the Black Order headquarters for the first time. The castle is huge, dark and daunting against the night sky. I stop before the great gate, gazing at its elaborate structure. Beginning to question why I came here, I step back. _Maybe I made a mistake. Maybe I should go back...no, stop being a child, this is right. They're the ones who called me here after all._ Taking a deep breath, I step closer to the gate.

"Hault!" A voice booms out from above me, shattering any confidence I had mustered up. I watched in disbelief as a huge face protrudes from the gate wall. "Prepare for akuma scan!" The face yells. I stand paralyzed in fear as the face rushes out at me. The face is silent as it scans, its enormous eyeballs flashing blinding light over me. I find my voice, breaking the intense silence.

"Is everything oka-"

"PENTACLES! SHE HAS PENTACLES! SHE'S AN AKUMA!" The face cuts me off with its booming voice.

"What!? I'm not an akuma I swear!" I protest, backing away slowly. Ignoring me, the face yells on, "DESTROY THE AKUMA INTRUDER! DESTROY THE AKUMA BEFORE IT KILLS US ALL!" The creature sucks itself back into the wall , screeching with fear. Shaken by the outburst, I nearly trip over my own feet backing up. "AKUMA! KILL THE AKUMA!" The face continues.

I look to the top of the wall and see a silhouette standing in the moonlight. A blade flashes in the midnight glow. "AKUMAAAA!" I look back at the face, still in shock by its deafening voice. _That's it. I need to get out of here._

I turn on a dime, ready to bolt. Whipping myself around, I thrust myself forward. Instead of running, my body comes to an abrupt hault. My face buries itself into something hard and warm. The force of my stride coming to an unexpected halt knocks me off balance. A deep grunt sounds above me. I look up startled, finding two dark eyes glaring down at me. A cold blade rests snugly against my legs, threatening to cut my skin. The towering figure above me steps back, causing me to lose my balance completely, sending me straight to the ground. Flinching, I look up at the figure.

The moonlight unveils the silhouette. A man stands before me, tall and lean. His long dark hair rustles in the night breeze, shimmering with dark shades of blue. His face, stern yet young.

"KILL THE AKUMA!" The face on the wall urges. I try to get up, but in one swift movement, the man has the end of a katana pressed against my head.

"I'm not an akuma I swear!" I yell, backing away from his blade.

He doesn't move or speak. I search his face for some sign of emotion. When our eyes meet, he flinches, quickly looking away. "She's not an akuma you idiot." His voice is so deep, I hadn't expected him to sound like that at all. The face on the wall begins to protest, "SHE HAS PENTACLES!" but it's words are cut short. The man redirects his blade from my head, to point at the face. ""Haven't you ever seen a parasitic type before? You useless rock." His voice grows agitated. Sinking back into the wall completely, the face becomes nothing but a design and the gate opens. "What's your name?" I ask the swordsman. He scoffs, sheathing his sword before walking through the gate. _Whatever._ I stand myself up,ready to finally enter the gate.

The inside of the castle is huge, with levels upon levels of hallways and rooms, always circling around a universal balcony that leaves a hollow center through the entire castle. I walk around aimlessly, taking in my surroundings. _I'm totally lost. I should have just followed that grumpy swordsman._ With no better place to go, I stop at the balcony, leaning over its rails and letting one of my arms hang. Looking up and down, each level looks the same, with black-rock walls on every floor. I sigh and close my eyes. "This place is impossible."

"There you are!" A cheerful voice calls out from behind me. I turn around to see a beautiful girl smiling at me.

"You're the new exorcist right?" She asks, folding her arms behind her back. She was the prettiest girl I had ever seen. Two long green pig-tails rest behind her back and sparkling violet eyes light up her face.

"Yea that would be me." I finally answer her, moving away from the railing.

"My name is Lenalee, welcome to the order!...um.."

"Sage, nice to meet you Lenalee" I answer her, holding out my hand. She smiles, shaking my it happily.

"Let me show you around the order!" She tells me, grabbing my arm and leading me.

We wander all throughout the castle, around the science labs, to the cafeteria and all throughout the rooming areas. Lenalee stops us at a particularly messy room in the science wing. The room is circular and the walls are covered by bookshelves. The floor, a sea of papers and books. A desk sits at the back of the room, covered by a mountain of books, threatening to give way at any moment.

"Brother, I've brought the new exorcist here to see you!" Lenalee calls out to the distraught desk. Suddenly, the desk explodes as a tall man with slicked back purple hair and a white barrette comes bursting out of the book mountain.

"Ah! Yes! Very good Lenalee!" The man says rushing up to us, his white coat flowing behind him. "Allow me to introduce myself! My name is Komui and I am the chief here at H.Q!" He smiles warmly at me. His skin is just as fair as Lenalee's and his eyes sparkle just like hers.

"I apologize for your entrance earlier, that silly guard has no common sense, good thing Kanda was paying attention!" He continues, smiling behind his glasses.

"Kanda? You mean that grumpy swordsman?" I ask, remembering the man from before. Lenalee laughs, "Yup, thats him alright."

Remembering my long journey to the order, I realize how tired I am. A yawn forces its way out of my mouth, without permission. Komui looks me over.

"Hm, I had planned on taking you to Hevlaska today for a reading but I suppose it could wait until tomorrow. Lenalee, please show our new exorcist to her room." Lenalee nods, heading out of the office.

"Follow me." She smiles.

Five minutes later we're at at a door identical to all the others. "Well, this is your new room. You can decorate it how you want, even though you might not spend too much time in it. Anyways, it's all yours!" Lenalee grins. I open the door and look over the spacious room.

"Thank you Lenalee." I tell her, touched by her kindness.

"No problem. Sleep well!" She says before walking off.

I open the door and enter the room. The walls are a stone black, just like the walls of the entire building. A single window rests at the middle of the back wall, letting moonlight fill the room. The room isn't too small, it's actually fairly spacious, with a bed, dresser and lamp as its only fillings. I look around the room. _I wish I'd brought something more than the clothes on my back._ Walking over to the window, I gaze outside to see the land around the order. The moon gives everything a blue tint, casting a soft light on the grass below. My favorite part is that the order is so high up, that everything around its little patch of grass is just a drop off surrounded by clouds. Feeling my eyes grow heavy, I walk over to the bed and plop myself down onto it. It's softer than I expected and I quickly fall asleep.

* * *

 _It's so beautiful out here at night. I look around the grassy field that surrounds the Black Order castle. Moonlight fills the area, glowing blue on my pale skin. A cool breeze sends my long and choppy black hair sailing. The breeze brings the scent of grass and earth to my nose and I can't help myself anymore. I take off running through the field, feeling the cold, soft grass on my bare feet. I can run tirelessly and quickly in this state, as if my body has never known fatigue. The night is too perfect, I never want to leave. As I run, a long cloud covers the moon, stripping its soft glow from the field. It gets so dark that I can't see anything around me. In the darkness, I run into something familiarly hard and warm. The same deep voice that met me at the gate growls above me. As the long cloud passes, the moonlight reveals the blue-haired swordsman. I fall back onto the grass, dazed from the sudden stop. Just like before, the swordsman points his blade at my head. "Your name is Kanda right?" I ask him, trying to control my voice. He doesn't answer me, he just scoffs when I say his name and presses the blade harder against my head. A thin stream of blood runs down my face. "What are you doing?" I try to yell at him, but my voice won't cooperate. He raises his blade, preparing to strike it down on me. I try to back away, but my legs refuse to work. I close my eyes as he brings the blade crashing down. Something soft brushes over me and I hear a heavy thud. No pain comes. Opening my eyes, I see a large black wolf on top of Kanda. It lashes out at him, ripping at his throat. The swordsman's body turns to dust as the wolf bites. Once he is gone, the wolf turns to me, snarling with blood on its muzzle. "No. Go away." I tell the beast. My voice irritates it and it snaps at my face. My legs find their strength again and I shoot up, starting to run. I can hear the wolf behind me, snarling and nipping at my heels. My legs move as fast as they can, but they aren't as fast as those of the beast. It slams into my back, bringing us both to the ground. I try to wrestle with it, pushing it away as it bites at me. "Get off!" I yell, attempting to command it. Its teal eyes glare into mine and I freeze. The last thing I see, is bloody fangs closing in on me._

* * *

I wake abruptly, out of breath. My arms are outstretched, pushing against a force. My hands grip the collar of a coat instead of the thick mane of a wolf. An emerald green eye stares down at me instead of the teal ones that left me paralyzed in my dream.

"You're a really violent sleeper, you know that?" The man standing over me says. His voice is nice, calming even. I slow my breathing, pulling my hands back.

"Well, I was told to bring you to Hevlaska, but when I came in here you were freaking out. I tried to wake you up, sorry for intruding." He says, standing up straight and rubbing the back of his head.

He's tall and his messy red hair is held up by a green bandana. An eye patch covers his right eye, while the other looks me over. I sit up, combing my fingers through my hair quickly.

"I don't know where that is." I tell him, standing up and straightening out the clothes I fell asleep in. "That's ok, I'll take you to her!" He says excitedly.

I look at him confused, "Her?"

"Hevlaska is the exorcist that holds onto all the unused innocence we have here at headquarters. She's going to tell you how well you and your innocence are synchronized. She looks pretty intimidating at first, but she's really friendly." He explains, heading for the door. "My name is Lavi by the way. What's yours?"

"Sage. Nice to meet you Lavi." I tell him.

He gets this funny look on his face and opens the door for me. I follow him out and he leads me through the castle. We walk onto a pyramid shaped platform where Komui is waiting.

"Good morning Lavi, Sage." He greets us, as he pulls a lever on the platform. The whole thing drops straight down through the hollow center of the castle. It started so fast I could barely stand up. I lose my balance and begin to fall, but before I can hit the ground, someone's arms wrap around me, catching my fall.

"Shit, sorry!" I say, looking back to see who caught me. Lavi stands behind me, holding me in place.

"It's fine, really." He smiles. The platform comes to an abrupt stop, nearly knocking both of us onto the ground. Komui laughs at our clumsiness and fixes his barrette.

"Alright Hevlaska, go ahead." He says. Lavi moves me in front of him, pushing me forward.

"Don't be afraid of her, she's practically harmless." He tells me. I look around confused.

"What are you talking abou-"

Before I can finish, three glowing-white tentacles wrap themselves around my waist, lifting me high in the air, to the face of a ghost like woman.

"Holy shit. Hi." I sputter, trying to loosen the grip of the tentacles holding me.

"Hello, exorcist. Please hold still for a moment." The ghost-like female tells me.

I obey her, lying still in her grip. She's tall, at least fifty feet, and her eyes are covered by tentacle or hair-like appendages. Her entire body is white, with a ghostly glow. I'm not sure how long she's been holding me, minutes, hours, but after a while, she finally puts me down.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Lavi asks, patting me on the head. _What does that mean? A pat on the head...is he taunting me?_ I shake my head, agreeing with the red-haired exorcist.

"Hevlaska, the results?" Komui asks, pushing his glasses back up his face.

"Parasitic type weapon. Innocence and accommodator synchronization is at 92%." She tells him. I look at Komui a little confused.

"Is that good?"

Komui chuckles to himself a bit. "Yes that is good. It seems like parasitic type innocence usually do have very high sync rates."

I nod, trying to remember everything I had been taught about innocence prior to coming here. "Well, I'll have a mission for you soon enough, until then just try to make yourself at home." He smiles, dismissing Lavi and I. Komui pulls another lever and we are sent sailing back up the castle.

After a big breakfast with another exorcist named Allen, I find my way to the main training room. Finders and exorcists are scattered around the room, watching two exorcists fight in the designated area. Kanda, the blue-haired exorcist from before and Allen, the exorcist I met at breakfast, relentlessly attack each other. At first it seems like they mean to kill each other, but the entertained reactions of those watching determines that the fight is just some intense training.

I sit on the floor in the back, afraid to approach anyone else. It truly is amazing to watch the two of them fight. Kanda, so quick with his katana, and Allen, relentless with his weaponized arm. Leaning against the wall, I watch them, wondering how on Earth I would ever be able to keep up with fighters like that.

"They're pretty good aren't they?" A familiar voice asks me. I turn to see Lavi walking over to me. I hadn't quite noticed before, maybe because I was half asleep, or maybe I was just too nervous to pay attention, but he was actually a really attractive guy. As he sat down next to me I couldn't help but admire him for a moment.

"Yea, they really are." I finally answer him.

"You don't have to be so shy you know, everyone here was in your position at one point." He tells me. How could I not be so shy? Everyone here seems so intimidating and they all know each other already.

"I'm not the most social person in the world." I tell him, picking at a hole in my pants.

"Oh that reminds me! Your uniform is in your room now, I guess that makes you an official exorcist." He grins, patting me on the head like he did earlier.

 _This again. I wonder, if this is his way of showing friendship? Does this mean that Lavi is my friend?_ I look at him confused, "Why are you being so nice to me?" My question must have caught him off guard, because he takes his hand away and rubs the back of his head awkwardly. "I guess it's because I like you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The past few days here moved by slowly, allowing me to bond with a few exorcists and grow comfortable in my surroundings. In the mornings, Allen shares buffet-sized breakfasts with me and tells me stories about his past missions. Lenalee took me into town to shop for new clothes and necessities for my room. Kanda trains hand to hand combat with me in the afternoons but Lavi is the one who spends the most time with me.

I lay in my bed, looking up at the ceiling and enjoying the silence of my room. The sun has just risen and Allen will be at the cafeteria for breakfast soon. My stomach rumbles loudly. "I guess it's that time." I laugh.

I get up walking over to the door, rubbing the creases out of my new uniform. It really is a magnificent uniform, the sturdy black coat goes all the way down to my thighs, with sleeves that stop at my elbows. The silver buttons keep the coat fitting to my body, showing off my curvy figure. The neck of the coat cuts down into a V shape, with a collar that flares up around my neck. When I was out with Lenalee, I bought several pairs of fitting black cargo pants that I could easily move around in, that way I could wear them with my exorcist's coat.

The boots that I had worn to the order were completely ruined by the time I had arrived, but luckily I found a sturdy black-leather pair that come all the way up past my knees, when I was out shopping with Lenalee.

My long black hair rests wildly at my back, partially tangled in my chain. I separate the hair from the thick metal chain around my neck, pulling the chain down to my collar bones. With all my clothes in order, I pull open the door and walk out.

"Good morning beautiful." I hear the familiar calming voice behind me.

"Lavi?" I ask, turning around to see the the emerald eyed exorcist leaning against the wall by my door. _When did he start waiting outside my door?_

"How long have you been here?" He hops up from the wall and places himself next to me, walking with me to the cafeteria.

"Only ten minutes or so, I know you like to eat with Allen around this time. Let me walk you down." He tells me. I couldn't help but grin, no man had ever showed such an interest in me, especially not someone as attractive as Lavi.

Lavi and I sit at a table with Allen, eating our breakfasts. "You parasitic types sure do have an awesome appetite." Lavi laughs, watching Allen and I clear plate after plate of food. I can't help but feel a little embarrassed at the obscene amount of food I was scarfing down in front of Lavi. But he seems so use to it, almost entertained by our bottomless stomachs. After a few minutes of stacking empty plates, I finally stop, unable to keep up with Allen. I lean back in my chair, feeling full and happy.

"Yuu!" Lavi yells mockingly. I look up to see the tall, blue-haired exorcist standing behind Lavi. "Don't. Call me that!" He yells at Lavi, smashing his head into the table. I jump back startled by the fierce aggression. Lavi sits back up rubbing his forehead.

"Why you gotta be so mean Kanda?" He asks his attacker. Kanda just scoffs at him before stating his business.

"Komui assigned us a mission, he wants us to bring the new girl."

"Well why didn't you just say so?" Lavi asks, standing up. "When do we leave?"

"Right now." Kanda tells him, turning for the exit and walking away.

"Come on Sage!" Lavi yells, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of my chair, following Kanda.

Before long, the three of us are on a train and on our way to a small town in Venice. According to Komui the woods around the town are supposedly cursed. Towns people who enter the woods reportedly attack each other with no recollection of the event after leaving the woods. So far, twenty people have been killed by this mysterious 'curse'. Komui believes that innocence could be involved and wants the three of us to go and check it out.

* * *

We sit in a cabin on the train with a finder waiting outside the door. Kanda sits opposite of me, leaning against the window. Lavi sits next to him, leaning against the cabin door. They let me have the other seat all to myself, so I take advantage and stretched my legs out on the bench.

"Hey Sage, I don't think we've ever actually seen your innocence. You told us you're a parasitic type, but what part of you is made up of innocence?" Lavis asks me. I move my hair behind my back, uncovering the V neck of my coat. The low cut collar reveals a glowing green shape identical to the one on Allen's hand.

"This is the only visible part of my innocence, at least right now. My innocence is actually inside my body, I'm not sure where exactly but it's there." I explain to him.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Lavi leans in closer, trying to get a better look at my marking. Kanda scoffs at us, grabbing the collar of Lavi's coat and pulling him back.

"Go to sleep. We have a long night ahead." Kanda orders, leaning back against his window.

Regardless of how cold he acts, I couldn't help but feel comfortable around him. I close my eyes and lean against the window, snuggling into my coat. Before long, the constant rocking of the train and the soft breathing of the two exorcists across from me lulls me to sleep.

* * *

 _The train comes to an abrupt halt, sending me flying out of my seat and onto the floor. "What the?" I look around the cabin to find Lavi and Kanda missing. The lights on the train flicker then die out as deafening thunder cracks through the night. It takes my eyes a few moments to adjust to the darkness. "Lavi? Kanda?" I call out in the emptiness, only to be answered by silence. Lightning fills the cabin with a burst of light and I can hear a loud crash from down the hall. I get up cautiously, peeking out the door. I wander down the narrow hallway, searching for Kanda and Lavi. There's another crashing sound at the end of the hallway, but the darkness prevents me from seeing the cause. "Guys?" I call out. Lightning fills the train once more, revealing a large black wolf. "No. Not you." I feel tears begin to well up in my eyes. The wolf snarls at me, its teal eyes glowing in the darkness. It takes a step forward, promising to attack. "Go away!" I scream, turning around and running down the hall. Its heavy pawsteps dash after me down the hallway. "Please, stop." I beg it with tears streaming down my face. The wolf doesn't let up. It tackles me, bringing me down to the floor. I flip onto my back, facing the wolf. It snaps at my face, trying to bite at my throat. I grab its muzzle, attempting to keep its jaws shut. "Go away. Go away. Go away." I cry, closing my eyes in the struggle. The dark wolf breaks free of my grip and rakes its claws against my chest. I scream in pain and use all my strength to kick the wolf off of me. As soon as it's off, I scramble to my feet and dash for the cabin I had been sleeping in. The wolf chases after me, close behind. I bank into the cabin, slamming the door on the nose of the wolf, but the beast is relentless and it smashes the door away. I fall back against the window, sliding onto the floor. The wolf takes its time, growling in front of me. "No. Please!" I cry, gripping my chest, my fresh wounds burning. Our eyes meet and I'm paralyzed with fear, I close my eyes and wait for the pain of the wolf's next strike._

* * *

"Sage! Sage!" Instead of a snarl, I hear the worried voice of Lavi. Hands firmly grip my shoulders instead of heavy paws. "Open your eyes! Its ok! You're safe now." He tells me, shaking me to reality.

I open my eyes to see Lavi kneeling on the floor in front of me with Kanda standing behind him, a distressed look on his face. I look down at my chest, my hand still clenching my coat at the place the had wolf scratched me. The wound is gone and so is the intense burning that came with it.

"You're crying." Lavi tells me with obvious pain in his voice. I take my hand from my chest and wipe the tears off my face. _What had I been doing in my sleep? I knew that I had been crying in my dream, but I didn't know It had translated over into real life._ I look at my wet hand, noticing it shaking.

"Hey, are you shaking?" Lavi asks me. I grab my shaking hand tightly, pulling it against my coat to try and hide it.

"You were screaming." Kanda says from behind Lavi. He isn't looking at me anymore but he still looks distraught. I must've really been going at it.

"I-I'm so sorry I woke you…" My voice betrays me completely, coming out shaky and weak.

The sound of my voice sets me off completely and I suddenly can't control my whole body. I begin to shake uncontrollably, my heart pounds rapidly in my chest.

"Sorry." I say again, barely able to speak the word.

"Sage!" Lavi yells. In an instant I'm being pulled forward, my face planting into Lavi's coat, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"It's ok." He tells me, his voice is so calming I can't help but relax a bit.

He holds me tighter and I grip his coat, burying my face in it. His scent is so nice, he smells like smoke, not like cigarette smoke, it's like a woodsy smoke, as if he had been covered in the smoke of a campfire all day. I sit there, in his arms, waiting for the fear to pass.

I'm not sure how long we sat there for, but I had nearly fallen asleep when Lavi finally moved me to the bench seat.

"I'm sorry for bothering you all so much." I apologize. Kanda and Lavi take a seat across from me. "Does that happen often?" Lavi asks, crossing his legs.

"No, really, this was just a freak thing." I tell him. Kanda scoffs, his eyes boring into me.

"Like hell it was."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say defensively.

"Your room is right next to mine. I can hear you. You scream like that every damn night." I can't argue with him at that point. I want to apologize again but I'm too embarrassed.

"Why the hell didn't you do anything about it Kanda!" Lavi scolds.

"Because I'm not going to wonder into a woman's bedroom in the middle of the night."

"You can't just ignore that!"

"Guys, it really isn't a big deal. I'm really sorry you had to hear all of this, I didn't know I was actually making a fuss out loud." I interrupt them, smiling for reassurance. Lavi sighs, leaning against the wall.

"We'll be there soon." Kanda says, looking out the window once more.

I bunch up against the window, hugging my knees. Lavi rests his head on his fist, watching me from his seat. I close my eyes once more, bringing my hand to the glowing-green mark on my chest. I brush my fingers over it, feeling it react to my touch. _Damn you. You stupid thing. You're suppose to be helping me damn you._ I take my hand away from the mark and pull my coat over it, ready to go back to sleep.

* * *

 **By the way, for those of you wondering what the old title of this fanfic was, it was called** _ **The Wolf and The Rabbit**_

 **The rest of the Author's notes from here on out will be originals from when I first wrote them.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I just figured out how to put an author's note in. ANYWAY. Thank you for all the constructive criticism, please fav, follow and review if you like the story! I'm trying to keep it interesting and up to date. Your reviews really help me with my writing!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own DGM in any way shape or form, i do however own this here fan fiction. :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

It didn't take us long to reach the cursed woods once we got to Venice. By the time we arrived, the sun had just set and the woods had grown dark. We sit at the edge of the woods, preparing for the night to come. Kanda leans against a tree, rubbing a cloth down his katana blade, making it shine in the faint moonlight.

"Where did our finder go?" I ask.

"Lavi sent him into town to find out more information on this so called curse." Kanda tells me without looking up.

"What's its name?" I ask him, pointing at the blade. He seems reluctant but he eventually gives in and answers, "Mugen."

"I figured it had to have a name, all great weapons do." A little grin curls up on Kanda's face as he sheaths the sword.

When Lavi returns from town we decide to split up. In order to find the innocence that may be causing the phenomenon in these woods, we need to cover as much ground as possible. "Lavi,

you search the far side of the woods. Sage, you go straight down the center. I'll take the side opposite to Lavi's. We stay within a mile of each other at all times. Let's get this done by sunrise." Kanda tells us. Lavi salutes Kanda and answers him mockingly. "Aye, aye captain!" I giggle as Kanda scoffs. "Just get it done." He repeats, before walking into the woods. "Be careful in there." Lavi winks at me as he leaves for his part of the woods. I shake my head at him jokingly, setting off on my own.

I wander through the forest, searching through the trees. The woods have been silent so far and I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary. I pause, looking down at the innocence glowing on my chest. _If I let you out...will you behave?_ My mark flashes lightly, as if to answer my question. "Fine." I say out loud, taking off my exorcist's coat and laying it down by a tree. "Innocence...Activate." The mark releases a quick flash of green light and I can feel myself changing.

My back arches and bones pop. I'm brought down to my hands and knees as my limbs change. I close my eyes and feel fur sprout from my skin. It only takes a few moments for the change to complete and I open my eyes again. The world looks different now with my senses heightened. I lift my nose to the air and take in the scents around me. I can smell everything, Lavi, Kanda, even their innocence. _You'll behave yourself right?_ I take off running through the woods, searching my perimeter. There's a small clearing up ahead where a pond lies still in the moonlight. I stop at the edge of the water to take a drink. My reflection stares back at me in the water, the wolf from my nightmares alive and in the flesh. It isn't as scary when it's like this, when it's me, it's almost beautiful. Fur, black like the night. Teal eyes, clear like gemstones, and a green-glowing mark on my chest. I stare into my own eyes, the beast's eyes. _Let's make this count._

I patrol the woods, searching for the scent of innocence. The deeper into the woods I go, the darker it gets. Eventually, even the moonlight can hardly pass through the thick canopy of the trees. Dim light shines through in small patches. My ears prick and my fur stands up, I can hear a twig snap somewhere above me. I look up just in time to see a figure dropping from the trees. Snarling, I dodge its attack. "Big hammer, little hammer! Grow, grow, grow!" The figure yells. I back up and the figure steps into a patch of moonlight. _Lavi?_ My voice comes out as a quick bark. He doesn't recognize me like this, I forgot that they've never seen my innocence before. He swings a huge hammer at me, nearly jacking me in the head. _He isn't going to be able to understand me like this._ I ram into him, pinning him on his back. He holds up the handle of his hammer, keeping it across his chest to protect himself. _I'm not going to hurt you._ I stand there over him, growling and whining. When I don't bite at him he stares at me confused.

"If you're gonna kill me, kill me." He says, glaring at me. I get off of him, allowing him to stand. In this form, I'm almost eye level with him, even on all fours. He stares at me angrily. I hadn't noticed, but he was clenching my exorcist's coat in his free hand. _Why does he have that?_ "Do you recognize this?" He asks me, throwing the coat on the ground in front of me. I look at it confused. "What did you do with the exorcist who was wearing it?" He yells, gripping his hammer tightly. _He doesn't know it's me. Of course he doesn't._

He runs at me again, swinging the hammer. I try my best to dodge his attacks but he's quicker than I expected. _The only way I'm going to show him it's me is if I change back._ My thoughts are interrupted when Lavi's hammer comes crashing to my side. I shoulder the blow, digging my paws into the ground to avoid being knocked over completely. He pushes harder, causing my paws to kick up dirt. As the hammer begins to push me away, my innocence deactivates and I'm human again, falling to the ground.

"Sage?" Lavi asks, his hammer shrinking down.

"Yea, that would be me." I say, lying flat on my back with dirt all over my pants and tank top.

"Holy...so you're the wolf?" He asks, helping me to my feet.

"Yea, that's my innocence, I didn't mean to scare you." I laugh, taking back my coat and putting it on. "So why did you come over here?"

"There wasn't anything on my side and then I saw that big flash of green light. I knew it had to be innocence. I guess it was yours." He explains.

We decide to split my section of the woods, separating ourselves yet again, but this time we stay closer to each other. After using my innocence, I'm so much more tired. As I wander around the woods I notice a strange fog rolling along on the ground.

I can hear someone moving around in front of me. I squint in the darkness until I can make out the figure in the dim moonlight. "Kanda-" I begin, but my mouth is quickly covered. Lavi pushes me up against a tree, a hand over my mouth, the other holding me against the thick trunk. "Shh, he's under the curse." Lavi whispers. Kanda walks past our tree, unable to see us in the shadows. Lavi lets me go once Kanda disappears into the darkness. "I'm gonna sneak around to try and grab him, you find the source of the fog, I think that's where the innocence will be." He tells me.

Lavi disappears like Kanda did and I leave the tree to venture into the fog. I can't see in this darkness and I walk straight into something all too familiar. "Kanda? I thought you-" Before I can finish my sentence, a hand shoots straight to my neck. "Kanda!" I grab at his arm, trying to push him away. He holds me up in the air, lifting me off my feet and over his head, squeezing my neck hard. He's so much stronger than me and I'm far too exhausted to free myself. I can't change back into my innocence again, not so soon after a transformation. He walks into the moonlight, still holding me up by the throat. I gasp for breath, beating at his arms. "Kanda!" I manage to spit out, but Kanda isn't there. The moonlight reveals his blank face, his eyes clouded over as if he isn't really seeing what's in front of him.

"That's enough from you." Lavi yells, tackling Kanda to the ground. As soon as Lavi brings him down, he releases his grip. I drop to my knees, gasping for air. "Shit." I say, finally catching my breath. I rub my neck gently, feeling it bruise already.

"You ok over there?" Lavi calls to me.

"Yea, is Kanda alright?" I ask him, getting up to my feet.

"Get off me you damn rabbit." Kanda's familiar voice growls.

"Yuuuuu!" Lavi mocks, grinning at the pissed off swordsman before receiving a harsh nock to the head.

I look past them and see the fog bubbling wildly in a small patch of moonlight. "Hey guys I think I found it." I say, walking over to it. Beneath the bubbling fog is a faint glow. I fan the fog away with my hand, revealing a small crystal rock, glowing with the light of innocence. "Hey that's it!" Lavi exclaims, running over. He picks up the crystal, analyzing it. "Yep its in there all right." He places the crystal on the ground and smashes it with his hammer. "Now we can take it back to headquarters." He says, picking up the innocence fragment that lays in the crumbled crystal. Kanda nods, taking the fragment from Lavi and placing it in his coat. "Let's get going, there's a train out of here in the morning." He tells us.

Lavi leads the way, walking in the direction of the town. I begin to follow, but I pause when I notice Kanda just standing there. He doesn't notice me stop, he just stares at my neck with a guilty look on his face. "Kanda." My voice brings him back to reality and he looks away, following behind me as I catch up to Lavi.

 **Hello again! I'm gonna go ahead and apologize for this chapter, it definitely is not my best work. Sorry if it's a bit boring, I just wanted to develop the relationship between Kanda and Sage since she and Lavi already have a bit of a foundation. Let me know what you think in the reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When we get back to headquarters it's late in the afternoon and we're greeted by Komui and Lenalee. They commend our quick work and take the innocence down to Hevlaska. The three of us eat dinner together at the cafeteria and catch up with Allen. Lavi boasts to Kanda about seeing my innocence.

"You're just jealous because you missed the whole thing!" Lavi mocks.

"Shut up idiot." Kanda growls, smacking Lavi on the back of the head."

"Hey! That hurts!" He yells, rubbing his head.  
"Guys be nice! Besides, Kanda didn't miss much, I'm sure he'll have the chance to see my innocence soon enough." I explain, flicking them both in the forehead.

Kanda scoffs and Lavi smirks at my attempt at peacekeeping. I push my last empty plate away and stand up. "I'm gonna go wash up and get some sleep. I recommend you two do the same." Lavi nods in agreement, stretching in his chair. "Sleep tight Sage." He smiles. I nod and turn to leave. Kanda grabs my arm, preventing me from walking away. I look back at him, confused. "We train tomorrow, we need to strengthen your innocence." He tells me. "What? Strengthen it, why?" I ask him. He releases my arm and points to my neck, still covered by the collar of my exorcist's coat. "Because if you had the energy to use it last night, you would've been able to stop me." He crosses his arms and looks away. I know he feels bad about it, so I try to comfort him. "It's really not that bad." I smile before leaving the cafeteria.

I walk into my room and don't bother turning the light on. My body aches from a long night of walking and fighting. I walk into the bathroom connected to my room and turn on the light. A mirror on the wall reveals my dirt covered face and messy hair. _Yikes._ I turn on the shower and begin to undress. When I take off my coat, I can see the dark bruises that wrap around my neck. I brush my fingers lightly against the black and blue marks. I flinch as they throb under my touch. Steam covers the mirror, taking away my reflection. I get into the shower and sit under the hot water, pulling my knees to my chest. I sit there until all the dirt washes away and the water turns cold, allowing my muscles to relax.

Clean and fed, I plop down onto my bed, my body ready for sleep. _I'm really gonna get it tonight._ I'm afraid to sleep, afraid of what waits for me in my dreams. I long for company, for Lavi to be here and comfort me with his voice and scent and touch. Or Kanda, to stay close and keep a watchful eye. I curl up into a ball and hug my pillow, staring straight ahead at the wall. My eyes fight to stay open, to avoid the inevitable sleep, but I can't hold out for long. My eyes flutter for a moment before they give way and I plunge into a deep sleep.

* * *

 _The moon is full tonight and its blue glow lights the woods, playing on the thin fog in the air. I know this place and it is all too familiar. The cursed woods of Venice expand around me, the shadows of the trees adding an eerie darkness to the land._

 _I wander around the woods, in search of a way out. A figure walks through the darkness. "Kanda?" I'm cut off by another figure. Lavi pushes me up against a tree, covering my mouth. Kanda passes by as Lavi holds me against the trunk._

 _He looks different this way. His bandana is down around his neck, letting his crimson hair fall into his face. His emerald eye has a strange look in it and a devilish smile forms on his face. "Shh...he'll hear you." His voice sounds dangerous. I stare at him cautiously, pulling his hand away from my mouth. " 're hurting me." He laughs cooly, taking his other hand off my arm. "I'll sneak up on him." He says before disappearing in a swirl of black mist._

 _I remember how it played out last time. I had walked into Kanda and had nearly been strangled to death. Instead of waiting around for Lavi or walking into Kanda, I try to get out. I know this is a dream and I need to wake myself up. I sit in a patch of moonlight and close my eyes._

 _"Wake up. Come on, I know I'm dreaming." I tell myself. A low growl rumbles behind me. I turn, waiting to see the big black wolf that always haunts me. Instead of the black wolf, a wolf with dark eyes and fur with dark shades of blue stands behind me. "Kanda?" I ask. The wolf snarls at me, stepping closer._

 _Another wolf emerges from the darkness. It's fur is blood red and it's eyes glow green. "Lavi." It reacts to my voice, snapping at the air._

 _They jump at me, claws unsheathed and teeth bared. I kick off Lavi, sending him onto the ground. Kanda's jaws lock onto my arm, drawing blood as he thrashes around. I beat at his head, all he does is bite down harder. "Kanda stop!" I scream, panicking as the pain intenses._

 _I'm so focused on Kanda that I forget about Lavi. The blood red wolf comes charging back at me. I kick wildly in an attempt to keep him at bay, but he makes his way on top of me regardless. His heavy paws pin me down, his claws digging through my clothes and into my skin._

 _I thrash around in the dirt, screaming for them to get off. Kanda's words run through my head. "If you had the energy last night, you would've been able to stop me." Unable to release myself in this form, I attempt to activate. "Innocence, activate!" I scream._

 _Pain shoots through my entire body. I can feel myself changing, but I don't turn into a wolf. Lavi gets off of me and bites down on my other arm, holding me down like Kanda. My chest burns as if fire is eating it's way out. I look down at my stomach in horror as a black wolf begins to seep out of my body in a dark mist. I lose my voice, my screams can no longer escape my lungs. All I can do is watch and writhe as the beasts tear through me. Thunder cracks through the sky and shakes me. Lightning flashes in the darkness and I can see all the blood that covers me. It's a terrifying amount and I begin to feel myself slip. Another bolt of lightning shoots through the night, blinding me completely._

* * *

My eyes fly open as the my bedroom fills with light. My body continues to shake, I look up to see Kanda standing over me. Thunder rumbles in the distance but it's Kanda that shakes me.

My body aches, but the pain begins to fade. "Kanda." I finally speak. He let's go of my arms, backing up a step. I jump out of my bed,feeling the need to get away from where I had been sleeping. Kanda watches me confused. I try to get to my window, to feel the cool air, but the burning in my chest flares when I move so suddenly and I drop.

Kanda catches me, crouching down to lower me to the floor. "What's wrong?" His voice is tense. I grip my chest and use Kanda's shoulder to stand myself up. "Nothing. I need to get to the window. I need some air." I tell him as I move over to the already open window.

I wait there for a moment, breathing in the cool air as a storm gently rolls in. Still out of breath, I wipe my hand across my face, covering it in sweat. "I thought you didn't wander into women's bedrooms in the middle of the night." I joke, leaning heavily onto the window, still clenching my chest.

Kanda walks over to me, still looking concerned. " You woke me up."

"Shit. I'm sorry. What time is it?" I ask him.

"2 in the morning. Did you know you're bleeding?"

I touch my face to find my nose bleeding. Kanda stares at the blood on my hand and I quickly wipe it onto my pants."2 in the morning huh?" I say, still out of breath. "When do you usually wake up?"

"Early." He says, now looking at my exposed neck.

"You can go back to sleep. I'm gonna stay up though." I tell him, unclenching my chest and sitting down against the wall. Kanda rolls his eyes and sits down in front of me. "Want some company?"

We sit on the floor for hours, talking here and there and spending time in silence. After a while I begin to doze off, slumping onto the floor. Half asleep, I mumble something to Kanda about not worrying about the bruises on my neck. I must really be out of it, because I don't even protest when he picks me up off of the floor and carries me back to my bed. He leaves my bedroom without a word, closing my door quietly so as not to wake me up.

 **Ok guys here we go, I made this chapter a little longer since it seems like they've been getting shorter and shorter with each passing chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, as always let me know what you think, all suggestions are greatly appreciated ^.^**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok guys here we go, I made this chapter a little longer since it seems like they've been getting shorter and shorter with each passing chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, as always let me know what you think, all suggestions are greatly appreciated ^.^**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

When I wake, early morning light fills my room. I stretch out in my bed, remembering last night. It must be seven in the morning by now and Kanda will be wanting to train soon. I get up and ready myself for the day, washing my face, brushing my teeth, dressing myself and fixing my choppy hair. I open my bedroom door and walk out into the hallway.

"Rough night?" I turn to see Lavi waiting outside my door.

"What gave me away?" I laugh.

"Kanda." He grins, walking beside me. I blush lightly, scratching the back of my head.

"What did he say?"

"It's what he didn't say. He was up later than usual this morning."

"Oh god, that's my fault." I say, biting my lip.

"He woke you up didn't he?"

"Actually, I woke him up first." I tell him.

"Ahhh, so Yuu has a heart after all." Lavi says jokingly, a playful glint in his eye.

We go through our normal morning routine. Allen and I feast while Lavi chats with Lenalee. After breakfast Lavi leaves to go work with an old man he calls Bookman. Kanda is already at the training area by now, so once I've finished eating, I go down to meet him.

I walk into the training room and find Kanda standing in the back, wrapping his hands. "You're late." He says, without looking. I shrug, walking over to him. "You got up late too. What are we doing?" I ask. He finishes wrapping his hands and looks over at me. "You need to strengthen yourself. You can't endure your innocence for very long, so if we activate it continuously, you should build a tolerance to it." He explains. I pause, thinking about what he means. "So you want me to activate it?" I ask. He nods, stepping back and leaning against the wall. "On and off continuously." He adds.

I don't like the thought of it, but it might work. "Ok, let's get started." I say, taking off my exorcist's coat and tying up my hair. I toss my coat over to Kanda and adjust my black tank top. "Innocence, activate!" As soon as the words come out, the innocence on my chest flashes and the pain comes. Bones pop, fur sprouts, pain surges through me. It takes a few moments for the change to complete. Once it's done, I balance myself out. _Kanda's never seen my innocence before._ When I look over at Kanda, he doesn't seem surprised by my form, he just nods his head and says "Again."

I do what he says, de-activating my innocence. I turn back into a human and lean over with my hands on my knees, catching my breath. "Don't take time to rest, activate it again." He tells me. I nod, standing up straight before activating my innocence and the whole process starts again. This time, it's harder.

We go on like this for hours, activating and de-activating my innocence until I can't do it anymore. I drop to my knees and gasp for air, completely exhausted. Kanda still sits against the wall, watching with keen eyes. "Again." He says. I just shake my head and lay on the ground, rolling onto my back and closing my eyes. I can hear Kanda stand and walk over to me. Something hard falls onto my stomach and I gasp, opening my eyes. Kanda stands over me and a canteen of water rests on my stomach. "Water break." He says, gesturing towards the canteen.

I lay there on the floor for a few minutes to catch my breath, before grabbing the canteen and pouring some of its water onto my face. I sigh in relief as the cold water cools down my sweating skin. The door to the training room opens and I hear a familiar laugh.

"What on earth have you been doin to this poor girl?" I look over to see Lavi walking over to us.

"Training." Kanda answers unapologetically.

"Well geez its been a few hours. How about you and I spar a bit, I've been cramped up in a study room with the old panda all day." Lavi tells him.

"I don't want to spar with you." Kanda scoffs.

"Awwww come on Yuu, just for a bit, while Sage is catching her breath. You don't mind, do ya Sage?" The emerald eyed exorcist looks to me with a playful look in his eye.

"Knock yourselves out." I tell him, getting up off of the ground and walking over to where Kanda had been sitting while I was training.

"Perfect! Let's go, unless you're afraid that I'll beat you up in front of a pretty girl." Lavi mocks. "You've got a loud mouth, you stupid rabbit. Hand to hand, no innocence." Kanda growls at him, setting Mugen aside.

I take a drink of water out of the canteen and watch the two exorcists. Lavi grins at Kanda's challenge, handing me his innocence. Both of them take off their exorcist coats, throwing them aside, leaving both of them bare chested. I look away awkwardly, a light blush on my cheeks. "What are you doing?" I say, still looking away.

"It's easier to fight hand to hand without our coats getting in the way." Lavi laughs, obviously amused by my response.

"Enough talking, get on with it." Kanda snaps at Lavi, annoyed.

I hear a clash and I look back to see the two exorcists attacking each other. They thrash around, throwing kicks and punches and dodging and blocking. It's hard to tell who is winning, both are so fast and very strong. With both men being the same age and virtually the same height, I can't tell who will have the upper hand. The fight is intriguing to watch, but I can't help myself from enjoying the view. Both men are very attractive and I find myself blushing again. _Get over yourself and try to learn something._ I dump the rest of the water over my head focus on the fight.

Kanda lands a hard hit to Lavi's face, knocking him over onto the ground. He throws his leg over Lavi, ready to strike it down and end the fight. Before he can finish the attack, Lavi grabs Kanda's leg and twists it away, knocking kanda to the ground. The blue haired exorcist growls, angered by the speed of his opponent. Lavi jumps up in a flash and lands a hit on Kanda, drawing blood. I flinch at the sight of it, I didn't think they would go all out on each other. Kanda kicks Lavi off, giving himself enough time to stand before Lavi comes back for more attacking. The two go at each other for what feels like half an hour. As time goes on, Kanda begins to fatigue, while Lavi maintains a ridiculous speed. _There's the advantage. Lavi is fast, even faster than Kanda._ Lavi grins, knowing he's winning the fight. It looks like the match is coming to an end when all of a sudden the situation flips. A devious smile curls up on Kanda's face as he ducks under Lavi's punch and sweeps Lavi's leg, knocking him flat on his back. Lavi attempts a counter attack, but Kanda expects it and effortlessly reversing it, inflicting the damage onto Lavi. _So that's Kanda's edge, experience. He's a far more experienced fighter than Lavi._ Kanda pins him down, planting a knee in Lavi's chest. He punches the ground next to Lavi's face, leaving an impressive dent in the floor, ending the match.

Kanda stands up, walking away from Lavi and wiping the blood off of his face. Lavi chuckles, brushing the dirt off of his chest.

"Not bad Yu, not bad at all." He says, standing up, rubbing his chest at the place where Kanda's knee had been.

"Of course it wasn't bad, idiot." Kanda scoffs, putting his exorcist's coat back on.

"You cheat." Lavi mocks.

"What did you say?" Kanda growls, turning around to glare at Lavi.

"You heal fast. It's an unfair advantage."

"Of course it's an advantage, I'm superior to you." Kanda says, nonchalantly.

I walk over to Lavi and hand him his coat and hammer. He thanks me and puts them on. Kanda returns to his seat by the wall, turning his attention to me once more. "You ready to get back to it?" He asks. I sigh, reluctantly nodding. "Innocence. Activate." I grit my teeth as the process starts all over again. I switch in and out of forms for a good ten minutes before I can't continue. I stop, hunched over on the ground. Kanda stares at me for a moment.

"Why'd you stop." It sounds more like a statement rather than a question.

"I can't. I really can't." I tell him, completely out of breath and exhausted.

"You went for hours before." He says, unsympathetically.

"I've never done this so much in my life." I say defensively.

"It's gonna take longer than one day Kanda." Lavi tells him.

Kanda nods, easing up. "We'll continue tomorrow then." He says, leaving the training room. I sigh in relief, standing up on wobbly legs. Lavi holds my coat out for me, helping me slip into it. I wipe the sweat off of my brow and begin walking to the door. Lavi follows beside me, offering to help me stand. "Where you wanna go?" He asks. I can't decide what I want to do first, eat or shower. My stomach rumbles and I begin to think that eating might be a little more important, but the clothes sticking to my skin decide otherwise."I'm gonna go to my room and wash up. I'll meet you at the cafeteria for dinner later." I tell him. He nods and walks with me until I get to my room.

I spend a good amount of time in my room, showering, changing clothes and taking some time to read a book Lenalee lended to me. It's almost sundown by the time I walk down to the cafeteria. Lenalee, Lavi, Allen and Kanda are already sitting down together. I grab my own food before joining them at the table. Lavi pulls out a seat next to him, motioning for me to sit.

"Did you take a nap or somethin?" Lavi asks, poking the food on his plate with a chopstick.

"No, I didn't need one." I tell him, finally feeding my rumbling stomach.

"Yuu did, I think you threw off his sleep cycle." He laughs, finishing off his plate.

"Don't call me that!" Kanda growls, throwing an empty cup at Lavi.

"Oh, feisty!" Lavi mocks, dodging the cup.

"Ok guys, simmer down." I laugh, as Kanda scoffs at Lavi.

I sit at the table long after our dinner is over. By now it's nine o'clock in the evening and almost everyone is back in their rooms. Everyone at my table is still here, but they all look exhausted. Allen stares off into space, obviously dozing off.

"Are you guys gonna go to bed soon?" Lenalee asks us, yawning.

"I'm waiting on them." Lavi says, tipping back in his chair.

"Sage? What about you?" She asks.

"Huh? No no, I'm good here." I tell her.

"Suit yourselves, I'll see you tomorrow. Come on Allen." She says.

Lenalee gets up, grabbing Allen's arm and leading him out of the cafeteria. Once they leave, I face plant on the table, digging my face into my folded arms. I sigh loudly, feeling the tiredness creeping up on me. A hand rests on my back, helping to wake me up a bit.

"Why are you trying so hard not to sleep?" Lavi asks.

"Oh no reason." My voice is mildly smothered by my arms, so I lift my head up. "I'm just not tired"

"Really? Cause you look like you're about to pass out." Lavi chuckles.

"She's afraid to go to sleep, it's obvious." Kanda says. I thought he was sleeping, but he was just sitting back in his chair, arms crossed, opening one eye to glare at Lavi as he speaks.

"Is that true?" Lavi asks.

"Eh…" I shrug at him.

"Very unconvincing." Kanda says, closing his eye again.

"Why don't you tell us why you're so scared." Lavi suggests.

I sigh, resting my chin on my forearms. "Well, I always have nightmares, they're just...worse after I use my innocence."

"I thought innocence was suppose to protect its user, not hurt them." Lavi says.

"Yea, well...we have a love-hate relationship." I admit.

"Are your sure it's worse after you use your innocence." He asks.

"Yea, I'm positive. Which is why I'm scared for tonight. After activating my innocence so much today, tonight is going to be…" I pause, lost in thought about what sleep might bring.

"Hell." Kanda finishes for me. I sigh, blinking in agreement.

"Well looks like we're gonna have to be extra careful tonight." Lavi says, standing up suddenly.

"What does that mean?" I ask him, looking up.

"It means Kanda and I are gonna stay up with you and try to keep those nightmare away." Lavi grins. "Ain't that right Kanda?" Kanda huffs and stands stands, ignoring Lavi completely. "Let's go." He says, walking past both of us.

We get to my room and I don't bother turning the lights on. The light from the moon coming through my window is bright enough for me. Kanda walks over to the window and leans against the wall and Lavi sits on my bed. I look at them, flattered but confused.

"So what are you guys gonna do?" I ask.

"Keep watch I guess, wait until you fall asleep and wake you up if you start freaking out." Lavi smiles. I nod, sitting up against the door. The moonlight glistens on the chain around my neck, catching my eye. I grab onto it for a moment and rub its metal links with my fingers. Lavi looks over at me.

"What's that?" He asks.

"Ah just some chain I always wear." I tell him. I laugh a little to myself, remembering the story behind it. "My master gave it to me." I add.

"That's an interesting gift." Lavi muses.

"Yea it is, she use to use it on me back when I was first learning how to use my innocence."

"She?!" Lavi jumps up surprised.

"Yea, my mentor was General Nine. Since I'm from America and she was in America at the time, she took me up as her apprentice." I explain.

"I never knew Nine had any apprentices." He says, looking baffled.

"Of course she did, she's a general." I laugh.

We spend a few hours just talking on and off until the chatter dies down and everyone feels the heavy burden of sleep. Lavi sits hunched over on my bed, finally asleep. I struggle to stay awake, fueling myself with the fear of what sleep may bring. In an attempt to distract myself, I look over at Kanda. He's still sitting against the wall, but he isn't sleeping, he's watching me, like a hawk. It makes me feel safer, knowing that he's there and I find myself passing out.

The moment my eyes close and my mind falls asleep, it strikes me. The nightmares don't hesitate to attack me. Instead of starting me off in a field or in woods, I'm greeted with a deafening snarl. I'm in a dark place and all I can feel is a quick flash of pain. I'm still awake enough to pull myself out of it and my head snaps up, my eyes shooting open. I shake my head but I can't get rid of the sleepy feeling that continues to wash over me. Kanda is on his feet already, looking over at me concerned. Lavi is up too, sitting up straighter and looking over at me with the same look as Kanda.

"Nope." I say, shaking my head.

"It's ok." Lavi says, getting up and walking over to me.

"I'm never going to be able to sleep again, it's so mad at me." I tell them. The intensity of the brief nightmare and the unbearable exhaustion gets the better of me. My eyes sting as tears well up and begin to stream down my face.

"Hey, come on it's gonna be ok." He tells me.

"I can't go back to sleep." I repeat.

"Come on, I'll help you." He says, helping me up and leading me over to my bed.

I lay down hesitantly, embarrassed by my tears. He lays down next to me, I would usually resist this sort of thing but all I want at the moment is comfort. I curl up into a ball and try to control myself. Lavi pulls me into him so that my head is just under his chin. "What are you doing?" I ask him. "You can go to sleep now and if anything happens, I'll be here to wake you up immediately." He tells me. I can't deny his offer and the circumstances are just too tempting. His voice is so calming and his arms around me are so comforting. I grip the collar of his shirt and burry my face in his chest. He still smells like a woodsy smoke and it puts me at ease. I try to match my breathing with his, to calm myself. Light from the hall creeps into my room as the door opens. I look over to see Kanda walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" I ask him.

"There's no point in both of us being in here." Kanda says without turning around.

"Kanda."

"Lavi's got you covered." His words are almost stern.

"But-"

"We train again tomorrow." He begins to close the door behind him.

"Kanda."

"What?"

"Good night…"

"Get some sleep." He sighs, his voice softening.

Kanda leaves and closes the door, leaving me with Lavi. I return to how I was before, trusting what Lavi had told me. The window lets in a cool night breeze that chills the room. I try to stay awake a little longer, but Lavi's body is so warm and his familiar smokey smell is so comforting, that I can't resist it any longer and I fall asleep.

* * *

 **Ok so there's that, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I did not read it over before posting it, so hopefully there aren't any mistakes. (I literally finished it at 2:25am because why not). I'll work on CH6 very soon ^.^**

 **Ok guys I've got lots of ideas brewing for this story so now it's just a matter of time and chapters! Please leave reviews to let me know how you like the story and anything you think I could add to make the story better or any twists you think that could be really interesting. Thanks for reading! ^.^**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

As I fall asleep, my dreams do not attack me like they did before. Instead, I sleep fairly soundly for what must be at least a few hours. After a while, nightmares begin to creep their way back into my mind. Darkness begins to surround me again and I can feel the piercing eyes of the wolf at my back. Terror wells up inside of me once more as I feel myself losing my peaceful sleep. I stir, trying to fight off the inevitable, but it's no use and I'm sucked into the fear.

I only spend a moment in panic before I'm pulled out. My restless body is squeezed tightly in a warm embrace, bringing me out of the dream state and into a softer consciousness. It's not enough to wake me up, but I know what's going on. Lavi's arms pull me closer into him and I can hear the gentle rumble of his voice, lulling me back into a peaceful sleep.

I wake slowly, still curled up in a ball. I take in a deep breath and smile as I'm greeted by the smoky scent that I identify as Lavi's. My eyes flutter open to find an empty room. My bed is empty and instead of snuggling into Lavi, I find myself nuzzled into a big orange scarf.

Judging by the light in the room, I can tell that I slept in. _Shit, I'm gonna be late._ With a sudden burst of energy, I jump out of my bed and clean myself up before slipping into my exorcist's coat. Snatching the orange scarf off of my bed, I run out the door.

A hand grabs my arm and spins me around, bringing my face right up to Lavi's. "I see you found my scarf." He says, grinning as my cheeks flush with embarrassment. He holds me there for a second, our faces dangerously close, him leaning down so that his emerald eye can meet my teal ones. They stare mischievously, making my heart race.

He laughs, letting go of my arm and stepping back. I hand him his scarf, willing away the pink in my cheeks. He stands there for a moment before resting an arm around my shoulder and walking us down to the cafeteria. I roll up his scarf and hand it to him.

"I don't know how you did it Lavi, but I didn't have any nightmares last night." I tell him.

"See what'd I tell ya?" He grins, obviously feeling rather triumphant.

"When did you leave?" I ask, remembering how I'd woken up alone.

"I woke up sometime in the early morning and figured you would probably be ok for the rest of your sleep. I didn't want the old panda to find me coming out of a girl's room in the morning, so I snuck back to my place." He explains

"Who's the old panda?"

"You've never seen him? Lucky, he's my mentor."

"You don't have a general as a mentor?" I ask, confused.

"Nope, I'm from the bookman clan, so I'm not exactly like all you exorcists." He grins smugly.

"You're still an exorcist." I tell him, pointing to his innocence.

He gets an odd look on his face when I say that to him. It's a mix of guilt and something else that I can't quite identify. I drop the topic, not wanting to stir up any sore feelings that Lavi may have.

He's fairly quiet during breakfast and I wonder if he's mad at me for something I said earlier. A short old man with dark makeup around his eyes walks into the cafeteria. He makes his way over to our table and greets everyone politely before turning to Lavi.

"Junior, I need you for an errand." The old man says.

"Right now?" Lavi asks, leaning back in his chair.

"Don't be a brat, we have lots to get done!" He scolds.

"Alright, alright, calm down gramps. What's the occasion?" Lavi mocks.

"The generals are coming to headquarters today and we have preparations in order." The old man explains.

Lavi nods, getting up from his chair. "I'll see you later Sage, don't let Kanda beat you up today." He tells me, getting up to leave. _Crap. Kanda!_ I jump out of my chair, remembering that I should be training already. "I won't if he doesn't kill me on the spot!" I squeak, running past Lavi and the old man.

When I finally get to the training room, Kanda is sitting against the wall where he had been yesterday. He looks up at me, amused by my frazzled appearance. I walk over to him, taking off my exorcist's coat. "I know, I know, I'm late." I say. Kanda just smirks and gestures for me to begin.

My body is sore from yesterday's training, but it is a little easier today. After so many transformations and a night of good rest, I'm able to keep up with Kanda's intended pace. The changes hurt a little less every time until eventually I'm numbed to it.

I carry on much longer than I had yesterday. We spend hours upon hours with non stop activation and de-activation until Kanda finally stops me. I admit that I pushed myself harder today because I felt guilty for both making him stay up last night and wait this morning, but he seems pleased. He tosses me a canteen of water and I accept it happily. I hadn't noticed before, but now I can see a dark tattoo stretching across Kanda's shoulder.

"What's that?" I ask, pointing at the tattoo. Kanda hesitates, then opens his mouth to speak. Before he can get a word out, Allen comes bursting into the training room.

"Guys, the generals are here, Komui wants everyone to come and meet up with their mentors."

"You look like you're about to piss yourself beansprout." Kanda teases.

"My name is Allen! And that would be because my master is here too." He explains, color draining from his face.

"Who's your master?" I ask.

"General cross." Allen says, covering his face with his hands. "By the way Kanda, Tiedoll is looking for you."

Kanda winces, aggravated by the news. He crosses his arms, unwilling to move. I laugh lightly and grab his arm, pulling him towards the door. "Oh come on Kanda." I say. He looks at me surprised. _I guess people don't really touch Kanda so casually._ I smile at him and he reluctantly follows me out, allowing me to lead him by his arm.

We arrive at a large living room to find a mix of generals and exorcists. I release Kanda's arm and he eyes me amused. "Kanda!" A voice booms and Kanda is attacked by a tall man with glasses and messy hair. He wraps his arms around Kanda, balling his eyes out. The blue-haired exorcist struggles for a moment before freeing himself from the old man's death grip. "I swear you get more and more grown up every time I see you." The man says, wiping his eyes. Kanda scoffs, ignoring the compliment.

The man shifts his attention to me, a warm smile on his face. "I'm sorry, are you a new exorcist? I'm general Tiedoll."

"I'm Sage, it's nice to finally meet another general." I smile.

He pauses for a moment, looking at Kanda and then me. A wide smile spreads across his face and his eyes light up. "Kanda-kun! Is this beautiful young lady your girlfriend!?" I gawk at him awkwardly, not sure how to respond. Kanda growls at Tiedoll, his face pink with frustration and embarrassment. "She's not my girlfriend." Tiedoll frowns, as if his hopes had just been crushed.

I search the room with my eyes, Lavi is nowhere to be found. "Hey Kanda, I'll meet up with you later." I tell him. He nods and watches as I walk off.

I make my way through the sea of people, searching for my master and any sign of Lavi. Tired of all the bodies, I make my way to a corner in the room. _I hate these sort of gatherings, too many people._ I slink back against the corner wall and sigh. "I need to get out of this place."

"You're telling me." A soft voice next to me says. Surprised, I turn to see a blonde haired beauty standing beside me.

"Klaud!" I yell excitedly, not hesitating to wrap my arms around her and shove my face into her shoulder.

"I missed you too, little pup." She says, hugging me back.

I feel something crawl onto my shoulders and I take a step back. Pulling my hair to one side, I can see the small white monkey resting on my shoulder. "Lau Jimin!" I greet him. The beast nuzzles against my cheek, cooing loudly.

"He missed his friend." Klaud tells me.

"I missed him too."

"Come, the generals are retiring to a more private room and we're bringing only our favorite apprentices." She tells me, smiling. I nod and follow her.

We enter a room towards the top of the castle. It's a large room with couches in the center and lots of windows with an open balcony, letting cool wind wash through the room. General Cross sits on one of the couches with his legs crossed, sipping a glass of red wine. General Tiedoll sits across from him, with Kanda standing close behind. A table covered with food catches my eye, but General Socalo occupies it completely, deterring my interest. Klaud leads me over to the sitting area and greets the other generals.

"Good evening Tiedoll...Cross." She says, hardly paying attention to the red-haired general.

"Don't get sassy Nine, you know you're pleased to see me." Cross says, grinning.

"Oh it's always a pleasure." She says sarcastically.

"Who is this foxy little exorcist, is she yours?" He asks, looking me up and down.

I suddenly feel so exposed, realizing that I had forgotten to put my exorcist's coat back on after training with Kanda. Now my tank top feels like far too little clothing in the presence of the General Cross. Klaud rolls her eyes at him. "Of course she's mine, her name is Sage." Cross just nods, continuing to watch me. Feeling terribly uncomfortable, I take a step back, only to back into a solid figure. I look up to find Kanda standing behind me, glaring at Cross.

"I see you've got yourself a guard dog." Cross muses. Kanda growls.

"Ignore him, he's useless." Klaud says, taking a seat on one of the couches.

"Well, don't be shy, come take a seat." He says, patting the cushion next to him. I look back at Kanda, who keeps his eyes fixed on Cross, before sitting down next to the red-haired general.

"Down boy." Cross teases, gesturing for Kanda to leave.

"Che." Kanda scoffs, sitting down next to Tiedoll.

Cross grins, sipping his wine and stretching an arm out along the top of the couch, his hand resting just below my shoulder. "So tell me, where have you been hiding all this time." He asks.

"I haven't been hiding. I arrived at headquarters a few weeks ago." I tell him.

"There aren't many women here. Surely you have a boyfriend by now." He inquires.

"No actually, it's pretty busy here." I explain.

"Really? Well, isn't that interesting." He grins.

"I...I guess?"

"How's your battle ability? I'm an excellent teacher you know." He tells me, a devious look in his eyes.

"Well actually I've been training with Kanda." I explain pointing to the glaring exorcist.

"Have you now?"

"...yes?" He stares at me, making me uneasy.

I almost flinch when he puts down his wine glass to tip my chin up so that our eyes meet.

"You really are very beautiful." He says in a low voice.

"Thank you." I say, involuntarily blushing. His eyes have a lustful glint and he won't let me look away. _What is that face?_ His hand that rests by my shoulder tightens, pulling me a little closer to him. _What is he doing? He's a general, I can't be rude to him...but._

The awkward trance is broken when my exorcist's coat is thrown onto the general, draping over his head. Someone jumps onto the couch, sitting on my other side. I can feel Cross's arm being pushed away as another arm forces its way around my shoulders. It pulls me away from Cross and into someone else. I look behind me to find Lavi, glaring at Cross.

"You left your coat in the training room, I thought you might want it." He says.

"Lavi, when did you get here? I ask, taking my coat off of Cross's head.

"Just in time apparently." He grins.

"Why you little pest…" Cross growls, glaring at Lavi and smoothing out his hair. "I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend."

"I don't." I tell him, confused.

"You have two." He chuckles, gesturing towards Lavi and Kanda.

I look over to where Kanda had been sitting, to find him standing up, tensed and agitated, his eyes boring into Cross. Klaud laughs, watching the situation unfold. "Don't even bother Marian, she's just like me."

"But you're the best kind." He teases, getting up from his seat and moving over to the balcony.

Klaud leans back in her seat, amused by Cross's failure. Lau Jimin rests in her lap as she strokes his fur. "Now that we have introductions out of the way, I have lots to tell you." She says, a serious look forming on her face. "Things are about to change for you, little pup."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I face her, confused by her suddenly serious tone."Good or bad?" I ask, sitting up. She looks down at Lau Jimin, petting him slowly. "That all depends. I was back in America for a while, searching for new apostles. During my stay, I came across an accommodator quite similar to you. He was a young boy, a parasitic type. His innocence was very similar to yours, but instead of completely changing into another creature, he was only able to take up the characteristics of certain creatures."

"Well that's great, where is he?" I ask, interested.

"He's dead." She says, looking back up at me. I flinch.

"What happened?"

"You are aware that parasitic types have short lives, but for that boy in particular it seemed that his innocence was just too strong for him. I only had him for a few weeks before his innocence drained his life force completely. He became weaker and weaker every time he activated his innocence." She explains.

"Hey wait a second. We've been activating her innocence constantly the past two days." Lavi says, looking over at Kanda, worried.

My master looks me over, eyeing the glowing innocence on my chest. She looks a little concerned, but she sighs and smiles. "It's alright, I think she'll be fine. The boy was a rare case, I just thought I'd inform you." I sigh in relief, but her words don't ease Lavi or Kanda's worry. A ping of guilt spreads onto Kanda's face.

"Is there anything we should do? Anything we need to watch out for?" Lavi asks.

"I'm going to talk with Komui later, but I don't think you have to worry." She assures him.

"Well how do we know that the boy was a fluke?" He continues.

"Lavi, if we find something, I promise you will be the first to know."

"But should we stop the training? I mean is it dangerous?"

"Lavi. It's alright, I'm not fragile, I'm not going to break." I laugh lightly, patting Lavi's leg.

He nods, calming down a bit, but his face never loses the pained look. I look over at Kanda who still sits like a statue next to Tiedoll. Klaud smiles at me, trying to lighten the mood. "Aside from all that, I just want to tell you that things will be changing for you, because the Noah have become very active lately. We can hardly afford to spread our exorcists any thinner, but you will have to travel in groups in order to prevent any losses. You will all need to be very careful." She explains.

"Perfect." Kanda mumbles.

"Everything will be fine." Klaud says, standing up. "The generals need to talk alone now if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course not. Kanda, Lavi, come on." I say, getting up and walking over to the door.

I pause to wait for Kanda and Lavi. Kanda says goodbye to Tiedoll and catches up to me. "I'll meet you at the training room." I tell him. He nods and walks past me, out the door and down the hall. I look back towards the couches to see Lavi standing in front of General Nine. My ears perk up a bit so that I can hear what they're whispering about.

"General, please. She has nightmares, it's like her innocence is working against her." Lavi says.

"I know, she's always had them, but it isn't something to worry about." Klaud tells him.

"General Nine."

"At ease soldier. You're rather passionate for a future bookman. As far as we can tell, she is at no more risk than General Cross's apprentice. I don't know what else to tell you." She insists.

"Yes ma'am." Lavi sighs, finally giving up and walking over to me.

The whole way down to the training room, Lavi is silent, deep in thought. His face is troubled and he doesn't notice where we are going. When we arrive at the training room, Kanda is standing against the door. Lavi looks up and stops short, grabbing my arm in protest.

"You can't be serious right now! What did General Nine just say!?" Lavi yells, frustrated.

"She said not to worry and that everything would be fine." I tell him, surprised by his outburst.

"She just explained to us how a 'very similar' exorcist died from his innocence and how he got weaker and weaker every time he activated." He continues.

"That doesn't mean anything to me!" I yell, getting defensive.

"Yes it does! Now you want to go and activate over and over again until you end up the same!?"

"Lavi! If I can't activate my innocence then what's the point in being an exorcist!?" I feel bad yelling at him, but I can't take him treating me like a child.

The look on his face makes my heart drop. He looks like he's all torn up inside, like I've finally struck a nerve in him. I want to apologize, but I'm too agitated. "I'm not wrong." I tell him, my voice gentle, in an attempt to calm him down. He exhales loudly, rubbing the back of his head. "I'll kill you if are." He jokes. I smile at him, relieved by his change of attitude. "Come on Kanda." I say, grabbing Kanda's sleeve and leading him into the training room. He huffs but doesn't resist, probably amused by my passive yet pushy tendencies.

* * *

We lay sprawled out in a common area, exhausted from hours of training. A week has passed since the generals arrived at the order and the excitement has died down. Even though we have been training intensely, I haven't had a nightmare all week. Every night, Lavi stays with me, holding me until the early hours of the morning. Lavi and Kanda's suspicion about my innocence has finally subsided, even though they still insist that I take it easy with the activations.

I lay stretched out on a couch with my legs draped over Kanda's lap. Lavi sits on the floor with his back to the couch, his arms outstretched and his head against my hip. The warm and muggy air drains the energy out of us as we laze around.

"I hate this weather." I complain.

"What, you don't like the heat?" Lavi teases, looking up at me with playful eyes.

"Not this kind." I mumble, messing up his hair with my hand.

"Hey!" He laughs, fixing his bandana.

We look up lazily as Komui enters the common area. He has a perplexed look on his face as he focuses on a book in his hands. Oblivious to our presence, he walks past the couch, nearly walking over Lavi. He stops for a moment before backing up so that he is right in front of us. Looking up from his papers, he looks us over carefully.

"Kanda…Lavi….Sage. Why aren't you on your mission?" He asks suspiciously.

"Our...mission?" Lavi asks confused.

"We don't have a mission." Kanda growls.

"Yes you do, you're suppose to be halfway to China by now!" Komui insists.

"Komui you never told us about any missions." I tell him, confused as all hell.

"Why yes I did but-Oh!" He pauses, his eyes gleaming in remembrance. "Ah yes, it must have slipped my mind!"

"You've got to be joking." Kanda growls, growing more and more irritated.

"China! Multiple akuma sightings, possible innocence involvement...well? Get going!" Komui yells with a triumphant finger in the air.

"You're kidding." I complain, throwing my head back in protest.

Komui continues on past us, his head buried back into his papers. I sigh, unwilling to move in this terrible heat. We all lay there for a moment, in complete silence, waiting for someone to make the first move. Then I can feel Kanda moving under my legs, standing himself up, allowing my legs to slide onto the floor.

"Come on, we should get going." He sighs. I stay in that uncomfortable position for a minute, procrastinating as long as I can. Finally, I sigh in defeat and sit up.

"But China is so far." I say, forcing myself off of the couch.

Kanda smirks, rolling his eyes at my unusual behavior. I tug on Lavi's coat, pulling him upwards. He breathes heavily, clearly not wanting to move, but he gets up and follows Kanda and I as we walk out of the common area.

We don't bother gathering up any items for the trip, instead we just head straight for the train station. Komui left us with hardly any information on the mission, so once we board the train, Kanda uses his golem to contact headquarters for details. Meanwhile, Lavi opens the windows in our cabin, attempting to ease the intense summer heat. By the time the train starts moving, Kanda finishes his call with HQ.

"There will be a finder waiting for us once we arrive and luckily, he has transportation and money arrangements already in order for us." Kanda informs us.

"That's a relief, I don't think any of us brought money." Lavi says, checking his pockets.

"There is a catch to this trip." Kanda continues, looking over at me.

"What?" I ask, concerned by his amused look.

"In the area we're going, the townspeople are very paranoid about females due to a new found superstition."

"Oh? So what does that mean for me?" I ask.

"They're only expecting two male exorcists to investigate the town. Well...two male exorcists and…"

"And what? Spit it out Kanda!"

"And a rather large guard dog. You know, to help sniff out the akuma." He tells me, an evil grin spreading across his face.

My heart drops as I realize that I'm going to be spending the entire trip as a glorified dog. Lavi and Kanda make no attempt to hide their amusement at my ordeal. Lavi laughs loudly, rolling in his seat. Kanda watches my displeased expression with an annoyingly good mood.

"It's not that funny!" I yell, flicking Lavi on his forehead.

"Kanda! Kanda! We need to get this girl a pet name!" He laughs.

"Oh my god, no you don't!" I scold.

"Hmmm...how about Fifi or Rover?" He jokes.

"Ugh you both suck. It's too hot for this anyway." I hiss, turning away from them and staring out the cabin window.

Lavi jokes on a bit longer before Kanda finally gets annoyed and smacks him on the back of his head. The redhead rubs his wound and mopes, leaning away from Kanda while the agitated swordsman turns to the window, tuning out his surroundings.

"What about Spot?" Lavi asks with a mischievous tone. My eye twitches with frustration and I can feel my hair prick. I take a deep breath before turning to him. He lifts an eyebrow, daring me to combat him. In one swift movement I unzip my boot, quickly pulling it off and throwing it at Lavi. He throws his hands up, catching my boot and letting out a little laughter. I turn back to the window, a satisfied grin on my face. "Shut up rabbit."

 **Ok guys so this might be the last chapter for a week or so, as I am going to be in CHINA (whoot whoot) and I might not have access to a computer. If I can find a way to write, I will. Please leave a comment or PM me to let me know how you like the story and if there is anything you think I could do to make the story better. Thanks for reading ^.^**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Guys, seriously, this is ridiculous." I protest, crossing my arms.

"Come on Sage, we told you this was gonna have to happen." Lavi says, grinning.

"We're wasting time, just hand it over." Kanda says impatiently.

"Fine." I sigh, reluctantly taking off my exorcist coat and handing it over to him.

"It's only while we're in public, now hurry up so we can enter the town." He says.

I grit my teeth in annoyance, but I do what he says. "Activate." I say the words and the transformation begins. After so much practice, it's almost painless now and the change happens so quickly that it's nearly over by the time the flash of green light is gone.

"Hey there Fito!" Lavi laughs, patting my head. I shoot him a piercing glare, growling at him aggressively.

"There's one more thing…" Kanda says, kneeling down in front of me.

 _What now?_ I whimper, watching him cautiously. In wolf form, I'm at eye level with Kanda when he kneels. He pulls a chain link leash out of his coat, presenting it before me. _Where the hell has he been hiding that!?_ I lifts the end that has a latch up towards my neck. I whine, backing up a few steps. Kanda grabs hold of the chain necklace that still rests around my neck and pulls me back towards him.

"We have to be convincing." He says, hooking the leash to the chain around my neck. I growl slightly, looking down and away from Kanda.

"Aw come on, you said your master use to do this to you when you were learning to control your innocence. This won't be anything you haven't done before." Lavi smiles.

I huff and shake out my fur, settling into my new body for the next few days. The chain weighs a bit heavy on my neck, but I know that I will grow use to it soon enough. Kanda stands back up, holding the other end of the leash in his hand. "Let's go." He says, leading the way into town.

"I promise I won't call you Fito or Spot, but we seriously need a fake name for you. Sage is too much of a human name." Lavi says, walking on my other side so that I separate him and Kanda.

"We'll figure it out as we go along." Kanda tells us.

* * *

We make our way through the town, walking through the crowded streets. I get some strange glances from the civilians, probably because they have never seen such a large dog. _Where are all the women? I only see men here._

My thoughts are interrupted by an abrupt tug on my tail. Growling, I spin around to find a little boy yanking on my tail. I stop growling when I realize that he is only a child. The boy can't be more than a few years old and he is barely as tall as my forearm. I cock my head to the side , feeling the collar tighten around my neck as Kanda keeps walking.

The boy releases my tail and walks over to my face. I tug back at the leash and Kanda stops, turning around.

"What is it now-" Kanda is cut off by the child standing in front of me.

"Doggy!" The boy coos, reaching up towards my head.

"Hey Kanda look! It's a little kid." Lavi says, walking over to us.

"We don't have time for this." Kanda sighs impatiently.

He tugs at the leash, trying to get me to go again, but instead, I ignore him and lower my head so that the I am eye level with the boy. His eyes brighten and he reaches out, grabbing a hold of my ears and pulling them. I yelp at the unexpected pull, but I don't move away. Instead I bump the child's head gently with my nose.

"Doggy!" The boy squeales excitedly, grabbing onto my head and hugging it. Kanda growls impatiently, but Lavi just kneels next to me.

"She's a pretty doggy huh?" He smiles, petting the fur on my neck.

The boy giggles and releases me, nodding at Lavi. A man's voice calls out to the child from across the street. I nudge the boy with my muzzle and he runs off toward the voice.

"Bye, bye doggy!" He waves as he disappears into the street crowd.

"Well aren't you gettin all sentimental." Lavi says, still petting my neck.

"For the love of God can we just get to the damn hotel and meet up with our finder." Kanda snaps at us.

"Alright! Alright! Don't freak out." Lavi laughs, standing up and walking past Kanda.

"Baka usagi…" Kanda mutters under his breath.

I give him an odd look, I've never heard him speak japanese before. He looks down at me, raising an eyebrow at my surprised expression. _Bilingual?_ A low rumble sounds deep in my throat. Kanda grins, amused by my little noises. He tugs lightly at the leash, leading me to follow Lavi.

* * *

We walk up to the front doors of a small hotel. A finder stands by the entrance, several armed men stand around him, talking casually. The finder waves at us and the men turn to greet Kanda and Lavi. I sit down in between my exorcist companions and look up at the armed men.

"You must be the exorcists from the Black Order." One of the men says.

"That's right, I'm Lavi and this is Kanda." Lavi says, gesturing towards the blue-haired exorcist.

"Pleasure to meet you." The man says.

"Woah! Is that the guard dog?" Another man asks, staring down at me.

"Huh?" Lavi scratches the back of his head. "Uhhh yea, this is…"

"Blue." Kanda says in a bored tone.

I look up at Kanda, flicking my tail. The man who spotted me first continues to stare. He leans in real close to me and grabs my muzzle. I jolt back confused, but the man holds on tight. He prys my mouth open and gawks at my teeth. I growl in protest, shaking my head around in an attempt to release myself.

"Hey!" Lavi exclaims as I free myself from the man's grip. "What's the big idea?"

"This don't look like no dog to me." The man growls.

"And what the hell do you think she is?" Lavi argues.

"She!? It's some kind of demon dog isn't it!?"

"Don't be ridiculous, she's a specially bred wolf." Kanda explains.

"More like a wolf and a half." The man speculates aggressively.

"Well she is specially trained to hunt and track akuma so perhaps you should be a little more grateful of her size." Kanda growls.

The finder walks between the group of armed men and the three of us. In an attempt to calm things down, he opens the door to the hotel and invites us inside.

"I'm sure everyone will be satisfied when it's all said and done. Now, master exorcists, please make yourselves at home while these kind gentlemen show me the hotspots for unusual activity in the town." The finder says.

Lavi nods and enters the hotel. Kanda follows after him, but one of the men grabs ahold of my leash when he notices me making my way inside.

"Hey! You can't bring that thing in there!" The man grabbing my chain yells.

"What now?" Lavi asks, turning around to see what the commotion is.

I yelp when the chain around my neck tightens as the man tries to pull me back. Kanda's hand clenches my leash. He spins around and punches the man square in the jaw. I look back between Kanda and the man sprawled out on the ground behind me.

Kanda stares down at the man for a moment before turning back around and walking into the hotel, still clenching my leash. I follow him, a bit weary of his aggressive outburst. Lavi gets the key to our room we make our way through the hotel and up to its third level.

We find our room and make our way inside. I look around and notice that there are only two beds. Kanda unlatches the leash from my chain necklace and lets it fall to the floor. Lavi jumps onto one of the beds and stretches out, sighing loudly. Kanda sits on the one on the opposite side of the room.

The calm and silence of the bedroom brings a wave of sleep over me. I crawl into the bed that Lavi occupies, curling up into a ball beside him. _Innocence._ A quick flash and my body changes back to its human form.

"Well hey there Blue." Lavi says, peering at me with sleepy eyes.

"Hi." I laugh tiredly. "Hey Kanda, where did Blue come from?"

"Hm? Just a random name. Get some rest." Kanda says before turning over and facing the wall.

"You're probably pretty tired after activating for that long, huh?" Lavi asks.

I nod, grabbing onto his arm and cuddling closer. He grins, turning over to wrap an arm around me. "Not looking forward to another day of ear pulling and tail grabbing." I mumble. Lavi laughs lightly. "It's better than being discovered and executed." _Thanks Lavi. Oh so comforting._ I squeeze his arm a little tighter and quickly fall asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I'm finally back from China ^.^ Sorry it's been so long. I'm going to try to bang out a few chapters to make up for lost time, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

The hot sun beats down on the city, the air thick and warm with humidity. I pant beside Kanda, who sits down on a dirty door step. The dark haired exorcist squints in the sunlight, slouching over in the summer weather.

"I bet that thick black fur is really convenient right now." Kanda teases.

 _Yea and I bet you're loving your long dark hair right now too._ I huff.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess you made some sassy remark." He grins.

 _You're damn right I did._ I growl slightly, nudging his hand with my nose.

Three men walk up to us. I recognize the one in front as the man that Kanda punched in the face yesterday. A dark bruise covers his cheekbone and an unhappy expression rests upon his face. Kanda looks up at him unimpressed.

"You exorcists haven't done anything to hunt the Akuma all day!" The man complains angrily.

"Yeah, when the hell are you guys gonna do your jobs?" Another joins in.

"Hey are you listening to us!?" The third barks.

"Unfortunately." Kanda sighs.

The man from yesterday clenches his fists and takes a step closer. Kanda leans back calmly, taking the hand closest to me and petting the thick fur on the back of my neck.

"You're suppose to be taking care of the Akuma!" The man yells.

"I don't see any Akuma wondering around here. Besides, we're waiting for the finder to come back with more information" Kanda says.

"Don't be so smug exorcists! I could do a better job than you." He growls.

Kanda clenches a handful of my fur, tensing up at the man's words. I stand up, responding to Kanda's sudden change in behavior. The men close in on us, cracking their knuckles and preparing for a fight. Kanda releases my fur, beginning to stand.

"Come on boys let's teach this guy a lesson." The bruised man says.

"Poor choice." Kanda mumbles.

I walk in front of Kanda, growling and baring my teeth at the men. Two of them hesitate when they get a look at my fangs, but the bruised man reaches out a hand, grabbing for Kanda. I snap at his hand violently, drawing blood.

"Hey!" He screams, pulling his hand back.

"Take care of that mutt!" The others yell, infuriated by my outburst.

The man that I bit lifts his bloody hand and swings it at me hard. Before it can hit me, it's blocked by Kanda's forearm. He glares at the man and pulls him forward and into the wall.

"Idiot." Kanda growls. "Come on Blue."

"Hey! We aren't done with you!" Another yells.

 _Just give up already!_ I bark, snapping my teeth at them.

The men back up and help to pick their friend up off of the ground. Kanda walks past the men and continues onto the street. I follow him, keeping my ears pricked so I can hear anyone trying to come up behind us.

* * *

Our finder appears just before sunset, greeting the three of us by the entrance of our hotel. Lavi rests a gloved hand on my head, his fingers poking through at the knuckles. The finder explains to us that the Akuma are commonly found tormenting the cities local chapel after nightfall.

We watch the sun set behind the city walls and the civilians all take shelter in their homes. As darkness falls, the three of us head out into the night.

"We should split up to cover more ground." Kanda says.

"Right." Lavi agrees, disconnecting the chain leash from my collar.

"Let's get this done tonight."

We walk off in different directions. Kanda sticks to the roof tops, Lavi and I patrol the streets. I separate from Lavi, taking to the shadows, blending in completely except for my teal eyes and glowing innocence.

I sniff the air, searching for the scent of Akuma or innocence. The ground is still warm from the heat of the day and it feels good on the pads at the bottom of my paws. My ears perk up as I walk through the darkness, evading the moonlight to better conceal myself.

The wind blows past me, bringing with it the faintest smell of... _Akuma!_ I growl, unsheathing my glaws. Before I can turn around, something grabs me from behind, clenching my hind legs and bringing me up into the air. I writhe wildly in an attempt to get free but i'm held steady.

Before long I am hoisted all the way up above the city buildings. I look up at my captor and find that it is a level one Akuma. I swing around, building momentum to reach the Akuma.

"Die! Exorcist!" It screams. The Akuma throws me high up into the air, aiming its guns at me. I take this chance to attack, spinning myself around as I begin to drop back down towards the Akuma. It shoots wildly, missing every shot so far.

With arms outstretched and fangs dripping with the venom of innocence, I come crashing down onto its head, claws first. I dig into its rock-like flesh and bite deep into its head. The Akuma screeches as my venom spreads through its body. I jump away and onto a rooftop as the beast explodes.

I lift my head to the sky and let out a howl, hoping to alert the others. I can see Kanda in the distance, Mugen glinting in the pale moonlight. Explosions in the streets below accompanied by an enormous fire snake, indicate that Lavi is not far off from Kanda's position.

As if they were spawned by the darkness itself, pairs of Akuma begin appearing by all of our positions. _There are so many._ I growl, lunging at the two in front of me. I claw at them viciously, tearing them apart and sending them into fiery explosions. When the smoke clears, Kanda is on the rooftop next to my own and Lavi is in the alley between us.

"Did you find the innocence?" Lavi calls up to us.

"Not yet." Kanda answers.

"Sage! See if you can track it."

I nod, looking over the rooftops and taking in a deep breath, sifting through the smells of the city to find that faint trace of innocence from before. _Dogs, shoes, garbage, soap…there it is. Innocence._ I let out a quick bark and jump off of the roof and into the street, pausing in front of Lavi and indicating the direction with my nose.

Careful not to lose the scent, I race through the streets, weaving in and out of alley ways. As the scent of innocence grows stronger, so does the scent of Akuma. The scream of a child erupts through the night, causing my fur to stand up straight. As I turn the corner, I see three level one Akuma closing in on a young girl.

"Help me!" The girl cries out, tears in her eyes as she backs up against the side of a building. "Somebody please!" She screams desperately. I can see people watching from their windows, but not a single one attempts to help the girl, instead, they lock their doors and close their curtains, ignoring the screams in the night.

I jump in front of the girl, putting myself between her and the Akuma. I look back at her for a moment, she can't be more than ten years old. Only a child and already abandoned by her people, simply because of their superstition. Her eyes linger on mine for a moment before I turn away, setting my attention on the Akuma.

I snarl at them as they raise their guns, purple light filling the barrels as they prepare to fire. There is no time to attack them now, if I move they will surely hit the girl. In a last minute decision, I quickly back up, knocking the girl onto the ground so that I stand over her completely.

It isn't hard to cover her small body, especially in this form when I am the size of a bear. I crouch down, curling myself around her, smothering her with my fur. Instead of starring down the Akuma as they fire, I close my eyes and hope for the best.

"Big hammer, little hammer! Grow, grow, grow!" Lavi shouts.

I look back up to see Lavi, holding out his hammer, which is now many times its original size, blocking all the Akumas fire. From behind him, Kanda slices the three beasts in half, destroying them with ease. Once the explosions are done, Lavi's hammer returns to normal size and he swings it around in his hand like a toy.

"Is this where the innocence is?" Kanda asks, flicking Akuma blood off of Mugen.

 _Yes._ I nod, standing to reveal the small girl I had been shielding.

"Well hey there cutie, what's your name?" Lavi asks, crouching down on one knee in front of the girl.

"Lili." The girl says quietly.

"Well hey there Lili. Are you alright?" Lavi asks gently.

The girl nods, looking up at me as I tower over her. She pulls a stone out of her pocket and puts it in Lavi's hand. He looks at it confused and tries to give it back to the girl, but she just shakes her head and buries her face into one of my front legs. I sniff the stone carefully. _Innocence._ I whine.

"Is this your innocence?" Lavi asks the girl.

"I found it in a pond outside of town. I thought it was pretty and I wanted to keep it...but then it brought monsters here. And the elders sent all the girls away. I've been all alone. I don't want it anymore." Lili tells us, getting emotional again.

"It's ok now." Lavi says in his soothing voice, placing the stone in his pocket. "Kanda, is she an accommodator?"

"No. If the innocence was compatable with her then it would have activated by now." Kanda replies cooly.

"That's it then I guess." Lavi sighs.

The fur on the back of my neck sticks up and my ears perk. _Akuma._ I growl, looking back up to the rooftops. Several Akuma have moved in above us and don't waste time to fire down on us.

"Lavi, get the girl and the innocence out of here." Kanda says, unsheathing mugen.

"Right! Time to go Lili. You got this Yu?" Lavi asks, picking up Lili.

"What did you just say." Kanda growls.

"Of course you do! Sorry, sorry, heh…" Lavi laughs nervously, running down the street.

"You too." Kanda mumbles.

 _Oh come on Kanda, let me help you._ I bark.

"Go escourt that stupid rabbit, he has his hands full."

I sigh, but I know he can handle himself and he is right about Lavi. He can't fight with a kid in his arms. I take off down the street after them, catching up easily. I can hear several explosions behind us as Kanda crushes the Akuma, but the ones who survived have lost interest in him and come cruising down the street, chasing the innocence in Lavi's pocket.

Kanda follows after us, sending his illusions to try and catch them, but they only hit one Akuma. Lavi stops in front of our hotel, setting down the girl and fumbling with the door that is now locked. I turn around to see the Akuma right at our flanks, closing in on the three of us. _Hurry up and get her inside._ I growl, leaping at the Akuma, pushing them back.

My distraction gives Kanda enough time to reach us, but the pair of Akuma unleash a rain of bullets surging towards me. With nowhere to hide, I evade them frantically. Mugen glows blue in Kanda's hand as he fights the bullets. He slices through some of them, but others are deflected and sent soaring in random directions.

The Akuma don't let up and Kanda has no time to attack. With a bit of luck, the Akuma's are struck by their own bullets as they fly back off of Mugen. _Yes!_ I huff as the demons explode. In one last swing of Mugen, Kanda sends the last wave of bullets soaring in all directions. They crash into the sides of buildings, into the road and into the sky. _Shit._ I yelp, as a sharp and burning pain tears through my front left paw.

Kanda looks back, knowing what's coming. I look down at my paw and watch as pentacles spread up my leg, over my fur. Pain surges through me as if my leg is beginning to burn and rot away. Whimpering, I crumble to the ground, unable to move in this state.

"Sage!" Lavi yells, leaving Lili at the doorstep and running over.

"Shit." Kanda whispers, a shocked expression on his face as he drops to his knees in front of me, unsure of what to do.

 _It's ok. Just give me a sec._ I whimper.

"Damn it Kanda!" Lavi yells, a helpless look in his eye.

 _Did you both forget that I'm a parasitic type? It's ok._ I whimper, still shuddering as the poison burns my blood. Lavi touches my paw and I shudder, yelping at how raw the wound is. He flinches at the pathetic sound.

It only takes a few moments before the pentacles begin to recede as the innocence in my blood purifies my body. The spreading pain fades, but the gunshot wound to my paw is still very real. The bullet went in at an angle, but straight through and out into the pavement below. Blood trickles through my toes and onto the street.

"Oh, thank god." Lavi sighs, remembering the healing properties of parasitic type innocence.

"We have to get inside. People are watching." Kanda says, nodding towards the windows of surrounding buildings.

"Right." Lavi nods, standing up and going back to Lili, this time, using his shoulder to force the door open.

Kanda picks me up and carries me inside, I wince as my sensitive paw is moved around. _Don't feel bad Kanda._ I whimper, leaning up enough so that I can lick his chin. Despite my efforts, his face stays serious as he carries me to our room. While Kanda brings me there, Lavi talks to the front desk about a room for the girl.

Kanda sets me down on one of the beds, closing the door behind him. _Innocence._ The bit on my chest quickly flashes and i'm me again. Exhausted from an entire day of activation, I let out a moan, feeling my left hand throb. I sit up on the bed, clenching my wrist which is now painted red with my blood.

"Let me see." Kanda says, bringing over a little chest with a red cross on it.

"It's really not that bad." I say, pulling my hand away.

"Let. Me. See." Kanda says, grabbing my wrist.

I flinch as a burst of pain shoots up my left arm. "Sorry." Kanda says, a little more gently. I nod and he examines my hand. He opens up the chest and wets a cloth with water, wiping away the blood.

"You're dangerous." I laugh as he puts the bloody rag down and grabs for a glass bottle with clear liquid.

"I feel like I've warned you before." He says lightly, pouring the contents of the bottle onto my hand.

"Hey!" I pull back as my wound burns.

"It's just alcohol." He says amused, drying off my hand before wrapping it.  
"Thank you doctor Kanda." I tease, pulling my sore hand away and gently rubbing over its wrapping.

He smirks, ignoring my jokes. I lay back down on the bed and curl up into a ball. My hand throbs and stings, making it impossible to relax. Lavi enters the room alone and walks over to me, looking over my hand. I flinch when he bumps it.

"We don't have any painkillers do we?" I ask.

"Afraid not." Lavi sighs.

"We leave tomorrow morning. The sooner we get the innocence out of here the sooner the Akuma will leave this city alone." Kanda says.

"Where's Lili?" I ask Lavi.

"Management is letting her stay in a spare room for the night." He answers.

I nod, relieved by the news. He takes the innocence out of his pocket and rolls the stone through his hand. I look over at Kanda, who sits on the floor next to the other bed. "Hey Kanda." he looks up. "Is this going to be a regular thing?" I laugh, lifting my hand. He shakes his head amused, remembering how last mission ended with him accidentally hurting me too.

* * *

I wait in the shade of a building next to the city entrance, trying my best to be discrete. Kanda gave me back my exorcists jacket this morning so that I could be ready to go when we left. I don't bother activating at this point, since many of the townspeople have gathered at the center of the city where our finder is informing them about our success.

Kanda and Lavi walk up the street towards the entrance where I wait. They have train tickets in their hands and Kanda carries a suitcase with what must be money. They reach the entrance and hand me my own ticket.

"Let's get going, it's a long ride back." Lavi says, putting his hands behind his head as he walks.

"I hope you're planning on buying some pain killer with all that money Kanda." I chuckle.

He rolls his eyes and they continue past me. I begin to follow them, but a familiar scent catches my attention. Pausing, I turn around to see Lili peeking around the corner of the building I was standing by. She stares at me wide eyed. I smile, waving to her with my wrapped left hand. She takes a moment, looking at me black hair, teal eyes and wrapped hand, and then her eyes light up and a toothy smile spreads across her face.

I dig through my pocket for a moment and find the chain link leash that I had been led with during this mission. Pulling it out of my pocket, I toss it onto the ground in her direction. Recognising it, she stares at me in awe. I give her a wink and laugh a little to myself before waving goodbye and turning back to my companions.

"Take care Lili." I say, waving my left hand as I walk away. I can just barely hear her say the name Blue as I catch up to Kanda and Lavi.


	10. Chapter 10

**So here it is! Once again sorry it took so long to update. Please leave a review to let me know how you like the story, it really encourages me to keep writing. I love hearing from you guys! Anyways, new chapters will be posted soon! Thanks for reading ^.^**

 **Hey guys! New chapter, thanks for reading. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think, it really boosts my morale!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

"Ugh!" I huff, flinching as Kanda's clenched fist plants a heavy hit in my gut.

"Flex to brace." Kanda says calmly, throwing another quick jab at me.

"Ergh!" I grunt, tightening my core to absorb the hit.

"Watch your back!" Lavi calls out behind me.

I duck and feel the force of Lavi's punch sail over my head, missing me completely as it lands on Kanda. I crouch as low as I can get and sweep Kanda's leg with my own, knocking him to the floor. I spin around to face Lavi and just barely evade a punch to the face. His arm extends past my head and I take the opportunity to grab Lavi's arm. Twisting around and using leverage, I roll him over my back, slamming him onto Kanda.

"Hah! Winning." I smirk, dusting off my exorcist's coat.

"Get off of me Rabbit!" Kanda growls, shoving Lavi onto the floor and away from him.

"Aye! Easy there Yu!" Lavi grumbles, sitting up.

"I thought you two were suppose to be pros." I tease.

Kanda growls, climbing back up to his feet. He takes a moment to get into a fighting stance. I crack my neck and nod towards Kanda. He jumps at me, moving faster before, but I can keep up. We exchange throws, dodging and ducking from each other.

Lavi rolls backwards towards his head and swings back, using his momentum to force himself up. I duck under Kanda and jab him in the throat. He coughs and grabs at his throat, giving me the opportunity I need to get space between us.

Lavi grabs my head, putting me in a choke hold. I elbow him repeatedly in the stomach, but he doesn't budge, as if my hits are completely benign. Kanda closes in, a glint of payback in his eyes. I drop all of my weight on Lavi and throw my legs up, kicking Kanda back as the force nearly knocks Lavi back.

I twist out of Lavi's grip and push him aside. Sweeping past Kanda's side I throw my elbow into his back. He twists around and grabs my shoulder, pulling me back. I attempt to kick him but he catches my leg. Running out of options, I jump up and throw my other leg over his neck. With this new angle, my trapped leg is released and I'm able to use it to spin around on his shoulders. I grab his head, putting one hand on his forehead and the other on his jaw.

"You're out." I grin. He huffs and stands still.

"Alright, well done." Kanda sighs as I climb off his neck.

"Well, well Kanda. Looks like I beat you." Lavi smirks.

"Don't push your luck rabbit. Worry about beating her." Kanda growls.

Kanda moves over to the wall and I turn to Lavi. We get back at it, but Lavi is so much faster than Kanda. This time, I can't keep up. I jab at Lavi but he crouches down and sweeps my legs out from under me. I grunt as I hit the floor, flat on my back. Already low, Lavi jumps on top of me, one knee at his side and the other on my stomach. I try to push him off, but he grabs both of my wrists with just one of his hands and uses his spare to prop himself up.

 _Shit. He's gonna win._ A cocky grin spreads across his face. He could end it right now. He could finish the match and win. But he doesn't. He moves his knee off of my stomach and raises an eyebrow. Confused, I knee him from behind, knocking him off. In one swift movement, he's on his back and my forearm is against his throat.

"You win." He smirks.

"What the hell was that?" I ask, letting him up.

"What was what?"

"You were winning."

"Correction, you were winning." He laughs, sitting up.

"Stop going easy on me!" I say, shoving him playfully.

Lavi gets up and shakes the dirt off of this back. He grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet. Kanda rolls his eyes and walks over to us from the wall. He glares at Lavi for a moment but Lavi just shrugs. Kanda rolls his eyes and wipes the sweat off of his brow. I chuckle at their little exchange and take a moment to catch my breath.

It's been a week since the three of us arrived from our last mission. It didn't take too long for my hand to heal from the stray bullet that ricocheted off of Mugen. It's still sore, but all that remains is a little pink scar. Kanda doesn't like to look at it, unlike the bruises he gave me from our first mission, this mark won't go away.

"So round two anyone?" I ask.

"I don't know if Yu's pride can handle another beating." Lavi teases.

"You weren't the only one going easy rabbit." Kanda growls, glaring at the red-head.

"Hey! What's that suppose to mean, you guys are just pissed that I kicked your asses." I say.

"Yu's just nervous because he's got a bad habit of beating you up." Lavi says.

"Watch your mouth usagi!" Kanda yells, grabbing Lavi's collar and lifting him up a bit.

"Well your track record isn't looking too bright." Lavi continues, an evil grin on his face.

He doesn't seem the least bit intimidated by the samurai's threats, he even seems to thrive off of Kanda's reaction. I shake my head and grab Kanda's arm. He hesitates, but releases Lavi. They exchange taunting looks but both ease up.

"Ok so is that a no on round two?" I ask.

"Whatever. But this time, I'm not going easy." Kanda sighs.

"That's the spirit!" Lavi says, patting Kanda on the back.

"Well it's about damn time." I laugh.

Kanda and Lavi get back to the fighting area while I stretch out my arms. I look at the two of them, amused by their behavior. I hadn't really thought of it before, but these two must be the best friends that I have. This overly aggressive, blue-haired samurai and this crazy, hammer swinging red-head, are the closest people to me.

"What? I thought you wanted a rematch." Kanda growls.

"I love you guys." I smile.

"Did we hit you a little too hard before?" Lavi asks surprised.

"No, I'm just saying." I laugh, walking over to them.

"But you love me more, right?" Lavi presses. I roll my eyes at him.

"Shut up rabbit."


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry it took so long to post this chapter, but here it is! I hope you guys enjoy, leave a comment to let me know how you like it! Thanks for reading ^.^**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

I rub at my sore legs, exhausted from a long month of missions. Today is our first day back and Komui has promised us at least a few days of rest. I told Lavi and Kanda that I would meet up with them later for dinner, but I wanted to stop by my room first to unwind a bit. The past few weeks have been killer, with the number of Akuma rising and the missions lasting longer and longer. I walk into the bathroom and turn on a light. Slipping out of my worn clothes, I get into the shower, letting the hot water steam up the room.

I sit down and let the hot water wash away the grime that has been building on my skin. A sigh of relief escapes my lips and I scrub at my skin with my hand. I look over my body, each mission left me with a little souvenir from Kanda. A string of scabs lines the side of my leg, a big purple bruise colors my left ribs, a slit cuts down the center of my bottom lip and my back aches. Each little injury from an accident involving Kanda. I don't complain about them because I know that he gets whiplash from Lavi.

After using up all the hot water, my skin finally feels like it can start healing. Still aching, I make my way into the bedroom to change into some casual clothes. Most of the clothes I have are virtually untouched since i spend so much time in my exorcist uniform.

I settle on my usual black cargo pants and knee high boots. Instead of my exorcists jacket, I wear a teal cami with a light weight black hooded jacket. I leave it unzipped because it's still fairly warm outside. Rolling up my sleeves, I rough up my thick hair that is already drying in its usual wavy style. _Well it's not gonna dry any faster._ I sigh and let it fall past my shoulders and down the the small of my back.

Feeling drowsy, I force myself to meet up with Lavi and Kanda. As soon as I leave my room I regret it. My muscles are overly fatigued and I have an aching behind my eyes. It makes me want to return to my room and pass out, but I force myself down the long hallway towards the cafeteria

When I arrive, Kanda and Lavi are already settled and eating. Lavi, in his usual blue shirt, with the buttons near the neck undone and Kanda, wearing a black sleeveless shirt. Aside from Kanda eating his soba and Lavi eating his soup, there really aren't very many people in the room with us.

I go to Jerry and only order a bowl of pasta and some tea. It's far less than I usually get, but I'm really only eating to please my friends. I take a seat next to Lavi, greeting them with a weak smile. They seem beat too, Kanda lazily eats his meal and Lavi has a book sprawled out on the table next to his bowl. He stares at it blankly and jots down a note every so often.

I take a bite of my spaghetti but barely have the energy to swallow it. In hopes of relieving some of the pain behind my eyes, I pinch the bridge of my nose. Kanda looks up from his Soba.

"What's the matter?" He asks.

"I think I'm just tired, but...my eyes are killing me." I tell him. "What's he doing?"

I gesture to Lavi, who seems completely absorbed in his book. Kanda shrugs and kick's Lavi's boot from under the table. The redhead looks up from his task, and raises his eyebrows when he sees me.

"You look nice." He grins.

"Thanks, you guys don't look too bad either." I chuckle.

"That's all you're gonna eat? We haven't had access to real food all month." He says surprised.

"Later maybe, so what's that?" I ask him, eyeing his book.

"Oh, just bookman stuff, I have to keep a record of this war. It's boring really." He sighs.

I rub my eyes and yawn loudly. Lavi's brow furrows as he watches my behavior. He seems concerned at my disinterest in food, or consciousness for that matter. Even Kanda acts weary, he sighs every time he sees one of the bruises or scrapes that he left me with.

"I've never seen you so wiped out before." Lavi mentions.

"Yea, I don't know, it's probably from activating so much." I tell him.

"You don't think it's like what General Nine-" Lavi starts but I cut him off mid sentence.

"No. I don't. So what have you got in there so far?" I try to double back to the last topic.

"Not enough." He sighs.

He doesn't seem too happy to continue talking about his bookman duties, so I drop the conversation. I play around with the pasta in my bowl and suddenly feel like I'm about to pass out right here in my dinner. My head bobs and I push my bowl away, nearly knocking it off of the table.

"Hey are you ok?" Lavi asks, sitting up straight.

"Huh? Yea." I mumble. Kanda looks up and moves my bowl away from the edge of the table.

"I think you need to go to bed." Kanda says.

"I got it, I'll see you later." I start to push myself up, but I nearly fall off of the bench.

"Okayyy no you don't. I'm taking you back to your room." Lavi says, straightening me out.

He stands up and grabs my shoulders, helping me stand. I try to stay upright but I almost drop again. Lavi takes my arm and pulls it over his shoulder. I hadn't noticed how much taller than me he is, he's practically towering over me now. I let him lead me and only focus on walking.

He laughs lightly to himself, mildly amused at this little ordeal. I raise an eyebrow and lift my head up a little bit.

"What are you laughing at?" I ask him.

"Nothin, I just wish you wouldn't push yourself so much, that's all." Lavi sighs.

"Well that wouldn't be any fun now would it?"

"You're crazy." He says.

He shakes his head and puts an arm around my waist to make me walk a little better. We make it to my room and I push open the door. Lavi helps me over to my bed and I plop down, ready to pass out. He waits a moment, sitting down on my bed, brushing my bangs out of my face.

I feel the bed move as he gets up to leave. Suddenly all I want is for him to stay just a little longer. I prop myself up and catch his hand as he turns away. He comes back and sits next to me, a little grin on his face.

"What?" He asks.

"Stay." I tell him, resting my forehead in his chest.

"I have to finish that entry you know." He chuckles, placing a hand on my head.

"I know. Just a sec though." I take in a deep breath and find that familiar scent of a smoky fire. It puts me at ease and I can't explain it, but I want to just stay here forever.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry it took so long to post this, I've gotten so busy with school and work. I promise to try harder! Thanks for reading and please leave a review! Thanks!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

I slowly wake, stretching out over the bed before slowly opening my eyes. My vision is blurry at first, so I rub my eyes only to find Kanda's dark eyes right above mine. Shooting back surprised, I nearly fall off of my bed. Kanda raises an eyebrow, amused by my reaction.

"Kanda what the hell.." I mumble in a sleepy voice.

"You look like hell." He says, standing up straight.

"Very funny wise guy, what are you doing?" I ask, sitting up and scratching my head.

"Lavi couldn't be here, so I came."

I get up and look down at the clothes I fell asleep in. My button down is all wrinkled up and messy, so I pull it off and toss it onto the ground. Wandering around the room aimlessly, I search for my exorcist jacket.

"Over here okami." Kanda says, holding up my jacket.

I sigh, confused as to how he got ahold of it. "Don't know what that means so I'll just pretend it's a compliment." I say, snatching it out of his hands.

"I mean, it isn't an insult." He smirks.

I eye him sharply, slipping into my uniform and heading towards the door. I feel much more rested than I had last night, but I can tell by Kanda's amused expression, that I must still look like a wreck. Suddenly, I remember last night and how I fell asleep. I look over to Kanda, my brows furrowed.

"Where's Lavi?" I ask.

"He has some things to take care of. Bookman's had him all night and morning. I wouldn't expect to see him anytime soon." He says, a strange look in his eyes.

"Why not?" I pry, suspicious.

"Stop asking so many questions." Kanda sighs.

I growl at him but let it go. I walk out of the room, a little annoyed, with Kanda close behind. I probably wouldn't be so bothered if I Kanda hadn't made that comment about Lavi. Now I have this sick feeling in my gut, like I don't know when I'm going to see him next. _Oh stop it. It's literally been ten minutes._

* * *

The morning goes by slowly, breakfast drags on and I'm not even interested in my meal. Allen and Lenalee ramble on about how crazy Komui has been lately, but I hardly pay attention. I push my plates aside and stand up. Kanda looks up from his soba, curious.

"What are you doing Okami?" He asks.

"I'm getting stir crazy." I tell him.

"We've barely been home for more than a day. How can you be stir crazy?"  
"I don't know! I just am." I growl at him.

Kanda chuckles amused. My eye twitches with frustration from his taunts. Just then, a finder walks up to Kanda and hands him a letter. I raise an eyebrow as Kanda reads it. After a moment, he folds the letter and tucks it into his exorcist coat. He sighs and goes back to eating his Soba.

"Well, what was it?" I ask, poking his shoulder.

"An inconvenience." He mumbles.

"Details please. Use your words Kanda."

"A mission. Even though we were promised a break." He sighs.

"Ok, great! When do we leave?" I asked, actually glad to have an excuse to go out.

"Now would be best."

"Ok, I'll go get Lavi." I tell him, turning away.

"Nope, this one only calls for the two of us."

 _What!?_ It's not that I mind being alone with Kanda, it's just that I was really hoping to see Lavi. But now with the promise of a mission, that probably won't happen for at least a few more days.I turn back to face the blue-haired exorcist. I tap my foot impatiently behind him while he calmly eats his food.

"Hey Kanda." I say sweetly.

"What?" He asks, unmoving.

"Let's go!" I yell, grabbing the back of his coat collar and pulling him out of his seat.

"Hey!" He snarls, nearly falling backwards, but regaining his composure.

Lenalee and Allen burst out laughing at the site of Kanda being man-handled. The angry samurai turns around and glares at me with a look that could kill. I raise an eyebrow, daring him to do something. We stand there for a moment, until he eventually exhales loudly and grabs the chain link around my neck, pulling it with him as he walks.

"Fine then, come on doggy." He taunts.

"Hey! Kanda!" I follow him just to keep myself from choking, pulling at his death grip.

"This should be fun." He mumbles evilly.

Eventually I pull free from his grip and we make our way through the castle, occasionally shoving each other into the walls. We reach the canal at the bottom of the castle where Komui and a finder are waiting. They greet us and the finder helps me into our boat.

"Kanda, Sage, I know you usually undergo missions as a treo, but I have the utmost confidence in you two." Komui says.

"The contract was very brief, any details we should know before leaving?" Kanda asks.

"Yea, I don't have to pretend to be the order's pet this time do I?" I ask sarcastically.

"Oh of course not. There is just a slight Akuma infestation in a small town in Sweden. Your finder has the location details." Komui answers.

Kanda nods and boards the boat. I help our finder by pushing the boat away from the dock. He takes a long rod and uses it to push along the bottom of the canal and move the boat.

"Have fun!" Komui smiles, waving goodbye.

I raise an eyebrow at him. _Have fun? What's that suppose to mean?_ Kanda shakes his head and rolls his eyes, taking a seat with his hand on Mugen. I sit across from him, stroking the glowing innocence by my collar.

* * *

After a long day of traveling, Kanda and I finally make it to our sit at the outskirts of a small town, awaiting nightfall. I look around us, the land here is beautiful. The sky is overcast and everything is leafy green. I sigh, taking in a deep breath.

"Yep smells like rain." I grin.

"You seem to be feeling better." Kanda says, closing his eyes and leaning back.

"I told you, I get stir crazy. But now that we're out here it's all better. It's kind of like a vacation if you think about it. There's really nice scenery here and all we have to do is kill a few Akuma." I grin.

"You are like a wolf. Remind me to just take you on a walk next time." Kanda says.

"Watch it." I growl. "You'll kill the mood."

Moments later, rain begins to fall. I look up at the sky and stick out my tongue, letting it collect droplets of water. Suddenly, a hand grabs my head and aims it towards the town. I shake free to find Kanda intently staring at something towards the town. He's already in a crouched position, with one hand on Mugen.

"Huh?" I mumble, trying to see what Kanda is looking at.

"Akuma." He growls.

Sure enough, I see a group of Akuma emerging from the hills around the town. I stand up and crack my knuckles.

"Well what are we waiting for?" I ask Kanda, grinning.

 _Innocence, activate!_ The green light of innocence flashes for an instant, like lightning in the storm. My vision blurs for a moment, then clears, becoming even clearer than before. I take off running, faster in this form. I can hear Kanda unsheathing mugen, running from close behind.

We intercept the Akuma before they can reach the town. I jump into one of the Akuma, snarling with teeth bared and claws outstretched. Kanda slashes Mugen through the air, releasing weapon like illusions of hellish insects.

I bite and slash and ram into the Akuma while Kanda's illusions attack. Akuma explode around us, spraying bullets through the air. It doesn't take too long for their numbers to deplete. Kanda and I are able to keep any Akuma from reaching the town.

Once all the Akuma are destroyed, we take a deep breath. Kanda flicks the Akuma blood off of Mugen and trails his finger across its blade, sheathing it once again. I walk over to him and he pats my head. I shake the water out of my fur and deactivate.

"Hey!" Kanda growls.

"Oh hush, you're already wet, plus it's still raining." I laugh, pulling my wet hair to one side.

"I can't believe Komui sent me on such a simple mission." He sighs.

"I'm getting pretty good at this, I could've done it myself." I grin.

Kanda chuckles and tussles my hair. I shake my head and attempt to fix it. Our job is done here already, but I'm loving the weather here.

"Hey, let's have some fun while we're here." I tell him.

"Fun?" Kanda asks, as if he has never heard the word before.

"Yea, ya know, fun. Let's go swimming or something."

"Swimming?" He asks.

"You mean you didn't hear that waterfall?"

"No, I don't have wolf ears." He grumbles.

"Well it's only about a mile off from here, come on, live a little!" I exclaim.

He sighs and nods. I grin, grabbing the sleeve of his coat and leading him away from the village, in the direction of the waterfall that I heard from before.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys, wow, it has been a LONG time since I have posted a new chapter. I'm sorry for the wait. School started, life got busy and I had a hard time with stress and anxiety and just couldn't bring myself to write anything. I have a handle on everything now, so I sat down today and wrote up chapter 13 for you guys.**

 **So sorry for the wait, I'm going to try and post regularly again, and last, but not least, please let me know how you like this chapter in the reviews section~**

 **Enjoy ^.^**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

I race through the woods, weaving between the trees, dragging Kanda along by the sleeve of his coat. The breeze made by our speed whips my hair back, leaving it streaming behind me like a long black river. I feel like I am racing too fast, but Kanda's long legs keep up with me effortlessly. I grin as I glance at him behind me, his expression is a mix of confusion and excitement, like a dog being let off of its chain.

The distance to the waterfall seems much shorter than I'm sure it was. We come up on a small clearing, slowing our strides as we break the tree line. A short cliff stands before us, with a light waterfall draping over its center like a curtain. Clear water pools around the cliff, forming a large pond. Dark rocks stick out from the water, covered in moss. In the center of the water pool, three lotus flowers float at the surface.

"Look Kanda!" I say, releasing his sleeve and pointing to the flowers. He looks, but doesn't say anything. I ignore his lack of enthusiasm.

Taking a step towards the water, I look up at the sky, past the canopy of tree leaves. The sky is still overcast, and tiny droplets of water float in the air, not as rain, but as mist. I look back down at the pool and can see straight to the bottom, which comforts me, because I'm weary of water that I can't see into. Murky water hides things, and I've never been fond of what lurks in the deep.

I shrug off my exorcists jacket and lay it over a low hanging branch at the tree line. Kanda flashes a look at me, half glaring, have restraining. I roll my eyes at him and sit down to remove my boots.

"Oh loosen up Kanda, I thought you'd enjoy this kinda thing, its all calm and meditate-y." I tease him.

"We should be working." He replies flatly, staring at the lotus flowers.

"And we did work, really quickly, and now we're gonna have some fun before heading back."

" Fun is such a childish notion." He replies.

I sigh, tucking my socks into my boots before tossing them at a tree trunk. I rub my bare arms, goosebumps prickling up on my skin from the cold misty air. My feet peek through the bottoms of my cargo pants and my toes curl at the sudden chill. I stand and straighten out the fabric of my black tank top.

"Well if you think I'm going in there alone, you're crazy." I tell him, walking towards the water.

"Have at it." He says, unmoving.

"Hhhhh...fine Kanda." I sigh, walking to the pool's edge.

I poke the surface with my toe, the water feels so warm compared to the air. I take a step further, ankle deep in the water now, it feels nice, and the bottom is soft with dark clay. Water droplets form on my bare shoulders, and I wriggle my toes in the warm wet clay under the water, but I go no deeper.

"Were you just planning on standing in the shallows, or swimming." Kanda says, amused.

"Swimming." I say, biting my lip, staring down at the water.

A minute passes, and I'm still standing in the same spot, my feet now buried by the clay. My lip aches from my chewing.

"So...are you going to get in then?" Kanda asks.

"Yea, give me a minute." I say shortly.

I stare into the deeper parts of the water, scanning below the surface. The water is crystal clear, and I can see a few frogs and minnows swimming around, but the rocks in the water cast shadows, leaving certain spots a mystery.

"You're kidding me." Kanda says. "You're afraid to go in, aren't you?" I whip my head around and glare at him. He's got a smirk on his face, with an eyebrow raised.

"I am not afraid of the water." I tell him sternly.

"Oh really? Then go ahead, hop in." He challenges, crossing his arms.

I look back at the water and take one step deeper, but the second I do, my eyes flicker to the shadows in the water, and I quickly retreat to the edge of the pool. I purse my lips. _Damn water. I guess it was pointless to come here._ Kanda chuckles behind me.

"You must think I'm pretty boring, huh?" He sighs. "Well, alright then, if you need someone else to get in first."

I turn around to find Kanda taking off his shoes. He lays them down neatly, then takes off his exorcists jacket. I never really thought about how much of Kanda's clothing was made up of that jacket, until he didn't have it on. Without it, his chest is completely bare, except for a wrap, around his torso. He takes his time, unwrapping it, and laying it on top of his jacket.

I can't help it, my eyes wander over his shirtless body. Dark tattoos decorate his pale skin, and his body is covered with muscles, like a valley filled with hills. I knew he was strong, but theres a difference between watching him fight and then actually seeing where that strength comes from. His eyes meet mine for an instant and I quickly look back at the water, heat building in my cheeks. Kanda's eyebrow twitches, but he laughs lightly.

"Sorry, I forget sometimes, how young you are." He says lightly.

"You can't be that much older than me, Kanda." I say defensively.

"Take it as a compliment, it means you're mature." He tells me. "Now, about that water."

I can't look at him, not right now, my face is still hot with embarrassment from a moment ago. But to be fair, it's hard not to feel so surprised when someone like Kanda strips down to nothing but his pants. It's not a site that occurs often.

My thoughts are interrupted by a splash of water hitting me in the face. Wide eyed, I look back at the pool, only to find Kanda neck deep and treading water near the center of the pool. I laugh and walk around the edge of the water until I have to climb over rocks to make it over to the deep end where he is.

"Well, you comin?" He asks.

"Yea.." I reply uncertainly, no longer focused on him, but glaring at the shadows in the water once more.

"Oh please." He smirks. "You bite harder than any of the fish in here."

"Somehow that doesn't comfort me. Like at all." I say, recoiling a bit.

Kanda rolls his eyes and swims over to the rock that i'm balancing on. He stares at me for a moment, then, without warning, grips my arm and pulls me forward. I squeal as I plunge head first into the water.

I open my eyes underwater, and see nothing threatening. _Kanda you little shit._ I swim up and gasp for air when I reach the surface. He has an amused grin on his face. I growl at him for a moment, then I launch myself upwards and put my hands on his head, using my weight to push him underwater. It only takes him a moment to resurface, this time with a not so amused look on his face, but I laugh and he cracks a smile anyway.

We mess around in the water for what must be hours, climbing the short cliff, to jump off and into the water, or to slide down the waterfall. Soon enough, the grey sky beings to turn a dark grey-blue.

"It's getting late. We should head out." Kanda says, looking up at the sky.

"Yea, you're probably right." I say. "But first, admit it."

"Admit what?" He asks, a reluctant look on his face.

"That you had fun, and you're glad I dragged you here." I smirk.

He sighs and shoves me underwater again, sternly, but playfully. I come up and splash him in the face.

"I'll take that as a yes." I say triumphantly.

We make our way towards the shallow water and I can feel the cold air creeping up on me again. It's still too deep for my feet to touch, but Kanda can already stand. I shiver and recoil back into the warm water. Kanda grabs my arm and pulls me onto his back.

"Hey! It's cold up here!" I complain.

"Oh hush." He says, walking out of the water.

When we get back onto land, he lets me down and sits by his clothes. I quickly get dressed, putting my jacket and boots on with shaking hands. By the time I'm done, Kanda is wrapping his torso again.

"We can catch the night train if we hurry." He says. "We could be back at headquarters by morning."

"Headquarters." I repeat. I feel my heart sink, but not because I don't want to go back. Kanda looks over at me.

"You miss him, don't you?" He asks, putting on his jacket.

I nodd, sighing and tugging at the chain around my neck. Kanda has a strange look in his eyes that I can't quite pinpoint. He finishes dressing and walks over to me.

"Don't worry, he'll be back before you know it." He says. I nod again, and we start walking back towards the town.

"Hey Kanda." I say softly.

"Hm?"

"Thanks." I say, wrapping my arms around his waist, hugging him.

He pauses, raising his arms, surprised. I let my head rest on his chest and he relaxes a bit, letting his arms fall back down. He rests a hand on my head for a moment, allowing himself to be cared for.

"Come on, let's get going." He says, gently pulling my arms away, leaving a hand at the small of my back, gently guiding me forward.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Kanda and I tiredly make our way through the empty field that stretches before the cliff below our head quarters. Ever since we left the train station, we've been walking for miles. I sigh, hoping that Lavi will be back by the time we arrive.

Kanda walks by my side, visibly tired by the expression on his face, but he walks steadily. Suddenly, pain flashes through my chest, stemming from the glowing innocence on my chest. I gasp, flinching back. Kanda looks over at me, slowing his pace to make up for my pause.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing...I-I'm fine, just a cramp I think." I say, shaking off the shock.

Kanda eyes me for a moment, then nods and continues on. I match his pace and look up at the sky. The sky is still a deep blue and the stars are still out, but orange light begins to peek into the horizon. It's nearly dawn.

I begin to lag behind Kanda as a throbbing pain builds in my chest. It starts under my mark, then radiates outward, into my chest and up to my shoulders. Soon, the pain is unbearable and I stop walking. My lungs feel like they're being crushed and I gasp for air. I clench at my chest, white knuckling my coat.

"Kanda." I gasp. It's hard to get the word out and it pains me to speak.

"Hm?" He grumbles, still walking.

"K-Kan-" The words seize in my throat.

I reach out for him, and sharp pain shoots up my arm. He's just out of reach and I can feel my body tighten up. Then, everything is in slow motion. As Kanda looks back at me, I fall forward, as if my outstretched arm anchors me down.

By the time I hit the ground, Kanda is kneeling down beside me. He shifts me onto my side, his grip firm and weary at the same time. I look down at my body and notice that my hands are shaking. I have no control over them, and the burning feeling inside of them begins to spread from my fingertips into my arms, as if fire is spreading through my veins.

I gaze up towards Kanda, his eyes are wide and his mouth moves quickly. He's trying to say something to me, but I can't hear him, I can't hear anything. My world is mute. I want to reach out to him, but the burning has spread throughout my chest and legs, and my body shudders in pain.

Suddenly I feel myself being lifted off of the ground. Kanda's arms wrap beneath my arms and legs and my head cradles into his chest. Wind blows against my face and the earth moves beneath us. My mind works in slow motion, taking its time to realize that Kanda is sprinting through the field with me in his arms. I want to speak, but the words catch in my throat before they can make their way out.

I keep my eyes fixed on Kanda's face, but my vision begins to blur as blackness creeps into the corners of my eyes. Within seconds, I'm completely blind and without my sight or hearing, I panic. With my body still shaking with pain, and nothing to distract me from it, I try to focus on my breathing. My chest feels heavy, like there isn't any room inside for full lungs. I open my mouth, trying to force the air in, but the burning feeling is so prevalent now that I can't feel anything else. I can't even tell if I'm breathing anymore.

I'm not sure how much time has passed, I'm not sure I even know what time feels like anymore. I can't see. I can't hear. All I can feel is this burning pain, eating me away. _How do I stop this?_ I try to focus on something besides my pain. I think of my friends, of Kanda and Lavi, and of our missions together. I think of General Nine, my mentor, and how she raised me. I think of the order and how it has given me a home and a purpose. And the pain begins to die.

* * *

There is pressure around my arms. A firm grip, wrapping around my tensed biceps. It clings to me, and shakes me frantically. But I can feel it...I can feel something else. So I open my eyes and although everything is blurred, I can see.

The figure above me is Kanda, his face becoming more clear with each passing second. His lips are moving but I can't make out the sound. His words are muffled, like he's inside a glass box, or I am.

The burning begins to subside, until it's isolated to my chest alone. But before it disappears, it gives a final burst of fire, as if finally exploding after all that build up.

As the burst of pain shoots through, my body tightens up. I open my mouth and let out the agony. It starts out as just a crackle, but builds into a blood curdling scream.

I scream until I'm out of air, and when my lungs run out, my senses return to me completely. I gasp for air and look up at Kanda, my body relaxing at last after all the violent shaking.

"What happened?" I say weakly, my voice breaking as I let myself go limp.

"I don't know." Kanda says, still tense.

I look around, we're no longer running. Instead, we're at the bottom of the cliff that leads up to headquarters. I lay on the grass, with Kanda crouched above me. Looking up the steep cliff, I know he wouldn't be able to carry me the whole way.

"Are...you ok now?" He asks me.

"I think so..." I say, my voice still weak.

"What.." He starts, but his voice trails off.

I know he wants to ask me what happened, but I'm not even sure myself. But I need to try, because the pained look on his face yanks at my heart. I take a breath and try to sit up. I prop myself up on my elbows but don't have the strength to follow through, so I sink back down.

Kanda must pity my struggle, because he gently pulls me up so that my head rests on his lap. This is a rare side of Kanda, a nurturing side that I'm sure few people ever see. I smile lightly, silently thanking him for it.

"I'm not sure what happened exactly. But...we were walking and I got this pain in my chest, and it just spread. It was like I was burning...and then I couldn't see you...or hear you...I thought I was dying." I explain, wincing at the memory.

"Do you think...that it has something to do with your innocence?" He asks quietly.

"I don't know.." I pause, "I don't know what else it would be."

Kanda grits his teeth, looking away from me. He knows I'm right, there's no other logical explanation for it. If this is what Nine warned me about, how long do I have before I end up like the young boy she met while she was away.

"Can you stand?" He asks, the strength returning to his voice.

"Yea, I just need a boost." I tell him, leaning forward so that I'm sitting upright.

He grabs my shoulders, helping me up as he stands. The blood rushes from my head and I feel faint for a moment, but it quickly passes. My muscles feel weak, like they've been melted after all of the burning.

I walk up to the cliff side and grab a protruding rock above my head. Taking a deep breath, I pull myself up, my feet slowly finding places to step. Kanda lets me get a headstart, waiting until i'm a solid ten feet from the ground before climbing up behind me. He positions himself below me and slightly to the side, moving slowly so he doesn't pass me. I lose my grip a few times, sliding down a few inches, but Kanda is there, ready to steady me again.

By the time we reach the top, I'm exhausted. I pull myself up over the edge with shaky arms and need Kanda's help to stand up. I'm out of breath, and light headed, but I feel better than I did when I was climbing.

"You good?" He asks, looking down at me.

"Yea." I say quickly, still catching my breath.

"We're almost there." He says, slipping an arm around my waist and pulling my arm closest to him over his shoulder, supporting most of my weight.

* * *

As we walk through the corridors of headquarters, heading towards our rooms, we pass by a common area. I hear a familiar voice coming from the open area and I perk up. _Lavi._ I look up at Kanda, new-found energy in my eyes. He stops our walking and looks down at me.

"Kanda...don't tell him...about what happened. If he knew, he'd freak out, you remember how he was with my master." I tell him.

"You can barely get around on your own." He mutters.

"Yes I can, at least for a little while." I say, trying to put a little more power into my voice. He doesn't seem convinced. "Kanda...please." I beg.

He hesitates, but then nods in agreement and lets me slide out from his supportive grip. I smile at him happily and walk off into the common area. As soon as I enter, I see him. My weak limbs find their strength and I pick up my stride.

"Lavi!" I call out excitedly. He looks up and his eyes light up.

"Sage!" He laughs, opening his arms for me.

"I missed you." I tell him, running into him and digging my face into chest.

"I missed you too. I didn't know that I'd be gone for so long." He says, wrapping his arms around me and letting his head rest on top of mine.

It feels so good to be with him again. I let myself melt, clinging to his clothes, absorbing his scent. He chuckles lightly before pushing me away a small distance so that he can look at me. I don't want to be any further away from him, but I don't move. Instead, I look back up at him, taking in all of his features; his emerald green eye, his messy crimson hair, his smooth skin. I missed everything.

"Don't leave again, ok?" I say.

"I won't unless I absolutely have to." He promises, a gentle grin spreading across his face.

I sigh with relief, closing the gap between us and burying my face into his chest once more. He puts his arms back around me, holding me in his grip, warm and strong. My fists clench the collar of his coat and he brings back one of his hands so that he can stroke my hair. I smile, never wanting to move again. But then I can feel the weakness coming back on and I know that I have to go, or else I risk him finding out what happened on the way back.

"Hey...I'm gonna go lay down for a bit, It's been a long day, I'm really tired." I tell him.

"You want some company?" He asks, letting me go.

"No, it's fine, i'm just going to sleep. Later though." I insist.

"Ok, I have to finish up a few things in the meantime." He smiles.

I nod and release him, taking one last glance before heading for the exit. My legs feel so weak, I'm not sure I can keep my composure. I turn the corner and head for the direction that my room is in, but my legs begin to fail me. Luckily, Kanda is there, waiting to help me. He puts an arm around my waist and helps me to my room.

"He doesn't know." I say, relieved.

"Are you sure you don't want me to tell him?" He asks, opening the door to my room and walking me over to my bed.

"Kanda, please." I shoot him a frantic look and he quickly looks away.

He lets me go, and I lay on my bed, relieved to finally be off my feet. Kanda hesitates a moment before leaving my room. I know he's worried, but all I can think about right now is rest. With Lavi's memory fresh in my mind, and Kanda nearby, I know that I can relax. I close my eyes and take a deep breath and try not to even think about what nightmares I might have.


	15. Chapter 15

**Ok guys, here's the next chapter! Please enjoy ^.^**

 **Chapter 15**

My eyes open slowly as I wake. No terrors met me in my sleep. My muscles no longer burn or feel weak like they did earlier, but something inside of me feels different. I sit up carefully and push my long hair and bangs away from my face. My head clears up and I swing my legs over the side of my bed, testing my weight on my feet. I feel sturdy enough, so I make my way over to the bathroom.

The light of the afternoon sun shines bright and orange across the bathroom wall. I raise a hand to shield my sleepy eyes as I make my way to the sink. Still groggy, I lean most of my weight against the sink as I turn it on.

Cold water rushes from the tap and I lower my raised hand, letting the sun hit my face once again. I lower my head and splash my face with water. The sudden stimulus wakes me up immediately. I shake my hands, wiping my face dry on my arm. I pause for a moment and look into the mirror.

My black hair sticks to my pale skin. My teal eyes pierce their white canvas. I stare at them for a long time. They are my eyes, but they are also the wolf's eyes. As I Iook at them, I can almost see the wolf staring back at me. A low growl rumbles in the pit of my throat.

"No." I say firmly, ripping my eyes away from their reflection. I smooth my hair out and brush my bangs to the side.

"I'm fine." I sigh before turning around and walking out of the bathroom, towards my bedroom door. I do one final check before leaving, brushing the wrinkles out of my uniform and pulling my chain out from beneath my jacket collar.

I open the door and step outside, pausing briefly to close it. A deep voice clears in its throat behind me. I turn around to see Lavi leaning against the wall by my door. He slouches casually with his hands in his pockets and his one foot pressed against the wall behind him. He looks up at me with a grin spreading across his face. I can't help but smile.

"I thought you were going to sleep all day." He teases, pushing off of the wall with his foot.

"It was a long trip back." I say, rolling my eyes.

"And how are you now?" He asks, standing just in front of me.

"Much better." I laugh.

"Then c'mere." He smiles, grabbing my shoulder and pulling me into him.

I don't protest, instead I wrap my arms around him tightly and look up at him. He keeps one arm around my back and brushes my hair out of my face. He stares at me for such a long time that I start to get nervous. I'm comfortable with Lavi, but no one ever looks at me this way, and I don't know how to respond to it. Blushing, I look away.

"Where were you?" I ask, trying to regain my composure.

"Just out on bookman business. The old panda needed me." He explains.

"What _is_ bookman business?" I pry, still unable to meet his gaze.

"I...can't tell you that." He sighs, loosening his grip.

"Why not?" I press.

He takes a step back towards the wall and pinches the bridge of his nose. His eyebrows furrow, giving his face a strained look. "There are some things that even you can't understand…" He sighs, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "I just need you to trust me, ok?" He says finally.

I nod and offer a comforting smile. I don't know much about the Bookman clan, but based on what I've seen from Lavi's mentor, there isn't much room for messing around. My curiosity urges me to ask more questions, but this is the only topic that Lavi keeps quiet about. And besides, I'm keeping secrets from him too, so I decide to drop it.

"I trust you." I assure him. He relaxes again and grins.

"Good, now, you wanna hang out for a bit? Fill me in on the latest news?" He asks, holding out his arm for me.

"Of course." I laugh, taking his arm and following his lead down the hall.

We stroll leisurely through headquarters, arm in arm. I tell him about my mission with Kanda and the waterfall that we visited before returning home. He listens intently, only offering a few comments here and there. I'm happy to talk to him, to finally be near him again after what felt like the longest time. The longer we're together, the more I want to be with him.

An odd feeling forms in my stomach. I'm not sure I've ever been this comfortable with anyone before. When I run out of stories to tell him, I fall awkwardly silent. I look up at him for a moment, hoping he will pick up where I left off. But he doesn't. He just looks back at me, with his devilish grin and unwavering gaze. It captures me. I almost lose myself in it, until heat rushes to my cheeks and I quickly look away. He laughs, but the fluttering in my stomach makes me uneasy. I don't know what this is.

* * *

As the sun begins to set, Lavi and I meet up with Kanda. We find him in the training room, viciously attacking a setup of target dummies. He looks like he's been at it for at least a few hours. By now, he has shed off his upper layers of clothing, and his usually clean skin is glistening with sweat. He looks up when he hears us enter the room, pausing briefly.

"Hey Kanda." I smile, walking towards his training area.

"What's up Yuu?" Lavi grins, eagerly awaiting a reaction.

Kanda growls, glaring at Lavi. I giggle lightly and take off my jacket. Ever since my rest this morning, I have felt perfectly fine. It's as if nothing ever happened, and with plenty of energy from the extra sleep, I'm ready to work up a sweat.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kanda asks as I tie my hair up.

"Training, duh." I tease.

"Not today you aren't." He says firmly.

"Aw come on Kanda, don't hog the whole place." Lavi says mockingly.

Kanda ignores him, focusing on me instead. "I don't think that's a good idea." He mumbles to me, low enough so Lavi cannot hear.

"I'm fine now, I promise." I assure him.

"Was this morning not a sign to you that you need to take it easy?" He hisses under his breath.

"Leave the worrying to me, will you?"

He hesitates, clearly unhappy with my decision, but eventually he nods in agreement. I raise my eyebrow and punch him playfully on the shoulder. He rolls his eyes and points to Lavi.

"Over here rabbit, if you're going to be here, you're going to work." Kanda scowls.

"I won't go easy on ya, Yuu." Lavi teases.

"Stop calling me that!" Kanda growls, taking a swipe at Lavi.

"Loser has to order everyone's dinner!" I shout, pouncing at Kanda, giving Lavi a chance to dodge the attack.

The three of us break out into our typical brawls, fighting separately and choosing sides at random. I'm happy to be doing this with them again. Happy to be with my family again.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry for the delay! This chapter is pretty mellow, but nevertheless, please enjoy ^.^**

 **Also, in honor of eating disorder awareness week, I just want to address the topic. As someone who has struggled and continues to struggle with eating disorders, I just want to urge anyone out there who is struggling with this problem to please seek help. Whether it be a friend, parent, teacher, or professional, please just find someone to talk to about it. Eating disorders are a serious problem. It WILL hurt you. If you aren't comfortable talking to anyone you know, feel free to PM me, I am always happy to listen and give advice.**

 **And please remember, you are beautiful, whether you are big or small, your body does not have to be a prison. There are always healthy ways of achieving your body image goals. PLEASE do it the safe way. You are stronger than this, you are more than your body. Please be safe :)**

 **Yea this one took forever to write. I tried to make it longer as requested, thank you for all the positive reviews! I do try to address all of your requests to make the story more enjoyable. Please keep reading and commenting. Thank you! ^.^**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

"No! you're not allowed to pull away! That's the whole point of the game, otherwise you lose." I laugh, grabbing Lavi's hand and pulling it back against mine.

"I didn't let go, I just flinched a little!" He complains.

"Sure ya did." I grin, slapping his hand as hard as I can.

"Ow! Hey!" He pulls his hand away again. "I don't see how this is a fun game! It just hurts!" He complains, holding his hand against his chest, rubbing it gently.

I laugh, shaking my head at him. How can a guy who likes to fight for fun find such a simple game to be too painful. I reach for his hand again but he moves it away and shakes a finger at me. I look up at Kanda who sits a few feet away from us, rolling his eyes.

"Do you wanna play?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't wanna break your hand." He smirks.

"Oh please, you couldn't-" Before I can finish, Allen walks into the room and interrupts me.

"Hey guys, Komui wants to see you in the office now." He says.

"What for?" Lavi asks.

"I don't know, I have to head out for a mission now, I was just told to get you on my way out."

Lavi nods and stands up. He stretches his hand out towards me and helps me to my feet. The three of us walk past Allen and head for the science wing where Komui resides. By now I don't worry about sudden call-ins like this. Usually it's just about a mission that Komui forgot to tell us about or some crazy new invention that he wants to try on us.

When we reach Komui's office, I walk in first and stop out of surprise when I see General Cross standing by Komui's desk. He looks up slowly from beneath his glasses, looking me up and down with a lazy gaze. He lifts a hand to his mouth to remove a cigarette, letting out a long exhale of smoke. Lavi and Kanda walk up behind me, and I can almost feel their displeasure when they see Cross.

"General Cross, I didn't realize that you were still at H.Q." I say, startled.

"Pleased to see me?" He teases.

"Ah good, you're here." Komui says, looking up from pile of paperwork.

"What do you need?" Kanda asks, moving his attention from Cross to Komui.

"There has been some odd activity occurring in Rome. We aren't sure what it's about just yet but I want you to investigate. I sent Allen and Lenalee on a mission regarding a similar case, however I wanted you three to look into this area in particular." Komui explains.

"What do you know so far?" Lavi asks.

"Akuma activity has increased, however our finders have been reporting level one akuma fleeing the city. We aren't positive as to what is going on there, but the higher ups are very concerned about this data. I chose you three because I believe you are quite possibly the most effective team we have here at headquarters. Still, I want you to be very careful, something is off about this activity."

"Lavi and I can handle it on our own." Kanda says.

I whip my head around and stare at him incredulously. He glances down at me with a stern look. Lavi looks at him, surprised and confused. I know why he's doing this. He wants me to stay behind because of my little episode on our last mission. He thinks I'm weak. Frustration boils up inside of me and I turn back to Komui.

"Sage is a valuable member of this team. Is there any reason why she should be left out of this mission?" Komui asks.

"No. When do we leave?" I ask, determined to stay on this case.

"Immediately."

I nod and make my way for the door, tipping my head lightly to my superiors on my way out. "Komui, General Cross."

I can hear Kanda and Lavi follow behind me after a few moments. Lavi taps me on the shoulder before passing me. "I gotta grab some things, I'll meet you guys at the boats." He tells me. I nod at him and he walks ahead. Once Lavi is out of sight, Kanda grabs my arm, pulling me back for a moment. I turn around and look at him, still annoyed by his earlier attempt to leave me behind.

"What?" I growl.

"You shouldn't come. You should stay here." He says, firmly gripping my arm.

"No! Why do you keep saying that?"

"You know what could happen. Komui said it would be dangerous, I don't want you going." He insists.

"I'm not weak! And we don't even know if that could happen again. It was a fluke!" I rip my arm away from him.

"Stay here." He growls, glaring down at me.

"You can't stop me, Kanda."

I turn away from him and start walking. "I'll meet you at the boats." I say, heading for my room. I can hear him sigh loudly behind me and mumble some profanities to himself. Arguing with him makes me feel guilty, but I'm too agitated right now to care.

When I get to my room, I strip out of my clothing. If I'm going to be in Rome for a while, then I'm going to need to have a fresh uniform on. I look down at my body for a moment before finding new clothes. Running around with Kanda and Lavi has really changed me. I was strong before, but new muscles and defining cuts have formed all over my body. It may even seem desirable if it weren't for all of the gashes and bruises and scars. I shake my head and laugh lightly to myself.

After changing clothes, I reach under my bed and grab out a standard briefcase that headquarters provides to all of its exorcists. I lay it out on my bed and throw a few extra pairs of clothes into the case before closing it back up. I pause for a moment, considering whether or not I should pack an extra medical kit, since I'll probably end up needing one. Deciding against it, I grab the case and head for the boats.

* * *

The ride out of headquarters is mostly silent aside from the brief details from our finder. He explains to us how our transport to Rome is going to be split between several means of transportation. Traveling will drag on for a few days, but I don't worry about it because I know that I am fully capable of hibernating through most of the trip. Sleeping doesn't scare me all too much anymore, at least not when Lavi is around. Even Kanda has been able to fend off my night terrors in the past.

Once we make it to the train station, our finder leads us to our cart. I've never been able to understand the finder mentality. They enter this secret war, without the blessing of innocence to defend them, and unwaveringly put their lives on the line to assist exorcists. They rarely get any recognition for their losses and hard work. Sometimes exorcists treat them rudely, but they still help us and refer to us as "master exorcists". I've found Kanda's relationship with them to be particularly confusing. He often butts heads with them and yet some of the finders look up to him like a child looks to a legend.

There's still so much I don't know about Kanda. I know that he is an incredible exorcist, practically unbeaten on the battlefield. I know that he has a famous temper. And I know that he's been with the Black Order longer than anyone else that I've ever met. He's a mystery. But then what do I really know about Lavi? I know he's an exorcist and a bookman and a skilled fighter. But I don't know what it really means to be a bookman, or why he disappears so often with his mentor, or how he lost his eye. They're both mysteries.

I shake my head and dismiss the thoughts, placing my suitcase in the overhead storage. Kanda and Lavi do the same while I take a seat by the window. Kanda sits opposite to me and Lavi takes the space at my side. Our finder closes the cab door and takes a seat in the hall of the train.

I look out of the large window that I lean against. The sun should be setting, but the sky is so overcast that I can't even tell if there is a sun beyond the clouds. A thick raindrop thuds against the glass and a low rumble of thunder shakes the train. A flash of blue lightning fills the cabin and the rain begins to downpour. The train settles for a moment, then starts forward.

I remember my first time on this train. Both Lavi and Kanda sat across from me in a similar train cart. I hardly knew them then. I tried to sleep through that train ride too. Back then my dreams came every time I closed my eyes. I remember dreaming about the wolf in the train, attacking me when I tried to run. When I woke I was screaming and Kanda and Lavi were staring at me. That was the first time I ever experienced their comfort.

"So what do you think is really going on in Rome?" I ask, turning away from the window to face them.

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with the Earl himself." Lavi says.

"The Earl? Don't you think that's a bit extreme?"

"Well, with increased activity and less Akuma? It sounds off to me."

"Don't get your hopes up." Kanda remarks.

I bite my lip and rest my head on Lavi's shoulder. I'd never considered that the Earl could be a factor. The thought of it sends chills down my spine, and I can almost feel the innocence on my chest burn a little. Pushing the thought from my mind, i gaze out the window and nuzzle my head into the crook of Lavi's neck. The sound of rain and the dim twilight glow in the cab puts me at ease. I reach up to my chest and brush the glowing gem-like innocence on my skin. It feels warm, something I've never noticed before. I move my hand up a bit and grip the metal chain around my neck before closing my eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys, this chapter was really fun to write. I was up late the other night and was just on a roll. LOTS OF IDEAS. Anywho, just a little disclaimer; for the sake of creative freedom, this fanfic is not accurate to the manga/anime timeline. As the story progresses I might try to clean it up a bit to make it more accurate, but to make things more interesting, I'm kinda just doin my own thang.**

 **As always, my loves, thank you for continuing to read and follow my story! All comments are appreciated, and I hope you enjoy ^.^**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

I feel myself moving, like I'm free falling. My mind is sluggish, still asleep, but my body reacts. My arms fling up to stop myself, and my eyes flutter open. Instead of seeing the ground rushing towards me, I see Kanda's surprised face. He grips my arms and holds me steady, but the force of my fall carries my face straight into his chest. I hear a crash beside me, and look up to see Lavi in the same predicament as me.

I push myself off of Kanda and kneel on the floor in front of him, steadying my hands on his lap. Lavi is sprawled out on the seat beside Kanda. I look up at them and they look just as confused as I am. The whole train seems to have come to a sudden hault.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"I don't know." Lavi says, shaking his head.

"Why did we stop?"

"I don't know." He repeats, rubbing his forehead.

I stand and pry open the cabin door. Our finder is picking himself up off the floor several feet away from where he was originally sitting. He looks back at me as he stands up.

"I'll go see what's going on." He tells me.

"Ok, be careful." I say.

"It's probably just a mechanical issue. I'll be right back."

I walk back into the cabin and sit by the window again. Kanda sits calmly with his eyes closed and Lavi shuffles restlessly in his seat. I peer out the window but it's too bright inside the cabin to see outside, so I cup my hands around my eyes and against the window to get a better look.

It's practically pitch black outside and the rain from earlier is still coming down strong. Every ten seconds or so a flash of lightning will light up the world around us for a moment. The train seems to have stopped on a bridge above a wide river. The storm has made the water choppy and violent with white caps rushing against the current. I wonder how the fish survive when it's like this. I wonder if it's like when we have strong winds at the surface. Maybe they all hide at the bottom where the water is less choppy, and wait out the storm.

A thin shadow moves by the train window as the next flash of lightning illuminates the land. I jump a bit, pulling away from the window. _What the hell?_ I rub my eyes and look again, but nothing is out there, and how could there be? We're on a bridge for God's sake and the train takes up the entire track. A heavy boom of thunder shakes the very foundation of the train and the lights flicker. Startled, I look over at Lavi and Kanda.

"This storm is getting pretty bad." I say, nervously gripping the edge of my seat.

"Yea, you're right, it's probably a bad idea to stay on the bridge for so long." Lavi says.

"Didn't the finder say he would go see what the issue was?" Kanda asks, somewhat impatiently.

"Yea, but that was almost ten minutes ago." I explain.

"Hhh, alright, I'll do it myself." Kanda sighs, standing up and opening the cabin door.

"I'll come with you. We'll be right back Sage, sit tight." Lavi says, following behind Kanda.

I almost reach out for him, to make him stay. I don't want to be left alone, but I'm an exorcist like them. If I kept them from investigating, they would think me a coward, so I just sit here and nod. Lavi closes the door behind him and I watch as they make their way down the train's hall.

I wait anxiously, crossing and uncrossing my legs. My grip on the seat is so tight that my knuckles are white. Although it has only been a few minutes, the time seems to drag on and on. I consider getting up and going after them, but decide against it. _Don't be such a coward._

The wind whistles and shakes the glass as it hits the window. It feels like the storm is right on top of us. Just then, there's a long flash of lightning, bright enough to drown out the artificial light inside the train. I close my eyes, but it's light is so powerful that it breaches my eyelids. A moment later a deafening boom of thunder cracks through the sky. It shakes the train so much so that I have to grip the seat even tighter for support. As if it's too much for the train to bare, the lights flicker and die. And then I am alone in the dark.

It takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. A faint blue glow from outside gives the cabin just enough light for me to make out blunt figures. I depend on the frequent lightning to really help me see. In between the thunder, the train is completely silent aside from the patter of rain hitting the windows. I listen hard, for any familiar sound. I jump as I hear a loud crash coming from down the hall. Gathering my courage, I open the cabin door and peek my head out.

"Lavi? Kanda?" I call out. Nothing. I swallow hard and take a step out into the hallway. _Why haven't they come back yet?_ Lightning fills the hall for an instant, showing me an empty path. I take a breath and begin down the hallway. The hall itself is almost completely pitch black, except for the dim light that shows through the cabins. I've found comfort in night, but never in this kind of darkness, the kind that is so dark you feel like you can't breathe.

I stretch my arm out to one side, tracing my fingers along the wall for extra directional support. I wonder along this way for a while, almost tripping over my own feet a few times. Suddenly another crash erupts from down the hall and I stop dead in my tracks. I squint through the darkness and silence in an attempt to find the cause, but visibility is too low. I clear my throat.

"Guys?" I call out. No answer. Then lightning fills the hall and I can see the black outline of a figure, almost ten cabins away. It's tall and the silhouette looks male. It's impossible to see details from here, it could be either Lavi or Kanda. I sigh, about to take another step forward, when another flash of lightning reveals the figure standing only a few yards away. I gasp and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. _How did he move so quickly?_ Fear builds in the pit of my stomach as heavy footsteps move towards me.

As the footsteps get closer, my anxiety, strangely enough, begins to diminish. A faint aroma wafts through the air, it's pleasant, like a soft cologne. Then the footsteps slow and stop right in front of me. This isn't Lavi's unmistakable smoky scent, nor is it Kanda's smell. _This is someone new._ Lightning reveals the handsome face of a stranger. His features are subtle yet masculine, and his skin is an oddly dark and ashy color. He has a charming grin on his face, and bright yellow eyes. He pushes back messy purple hair revealing strange marks on his forehead, before gently placing a tall black top hat onto his head.

"Who are you?" I ask him, briefly dazed by his appearance.

"Good evening my dear. My name is Tyki Mikk." He holds out a gloved hand. "And who might you be?"

"Sage.." I say slowly. His voice is so deep and smooth. I reach out my hand, returning his gesture.

"What a lovely name." He grins, taking my hand and kissing it. My eyes widen, I had been expecting a handshake.

"T-thank you. Do you know what's going on? I can't find my friends, it's like the train is empty." I say, sheepishly bringing my hand back to my side.

"I'm afraid not, pretty woman. I saw no one on my way up here." He replies smoothly.

The next flash of lightning lingers and I get a better look at him. He's all decked out, with a fancy black and white suit. And he's so tall, taller than Lavi. And he's older than I originally thought. There are no boyish features left on him, he's young, but obviously a grown man. He takes a step forward.

"What an interesting uniform you have. Are you here on business?" He asks.

"Uh, you could say that." I say, smiling awkwardly.

"Hm, beautiful and driven. How attractive." He says slyly. I blush, now grateful for the darkness.

"You flatter me." I laugh.

Another round of thunder shakes the train more violently than before. I stumble, stretching my arms out to the walls to catch myself. Tyki grabs my arm and pulls me up gently.

"Perhaps we should retire to one of the cabins." He suggests.

" Maybe that would be best." I agree.

I hear a click and a warm amber light illuminates a small space around us. I look over to see Tyki holding a match. He opens the cabin door nearest to us and gestures for me to go inside.

I step in and take a seat. Feeling tired from the earlier stress, I stretch out onto the cushion, leaning my back against the window and resting my legs on the seat, facing my body towards the door. He closes the door behind us and leans against it, lighting another match as the other dies out. Thankful for the light, I take a deep breath and relax.

"I have to say, I really am glad that you're here. I was beginning to worry that I was all alone." I tell him.

"The pleasure is all mine." He smiles, tipping his hat.

"You're all dressed up in uniform too." I say, looking at his suit. "What's the occasion?"

"Same as you, Madam exorcist. I'm here on business." He says, dropping the dying match.

"Hey.." I say, looking down to where the match fell. Its small flame has begun to ignite the dry carpet of the cabin floor, giving off its own dim light. It burns slowly.

I look back up to find Tyki sitting beside me. The light glow of the fire makes his yellow eyes glimmer marvelously. He leans over, towering above me. I shrink away awkwardly, my back sliding down the window.

"You are such a beautiful woman." He says softly. I blush.

"T-thank you."

"Such a shame that you got caught in this line of work.." He leans closer, holding himself up on his arm closest to the isle. It stands straight, like a pillar next to my hip.

"I-it's really not that bad. H-hey, how do you know about my work anyway?" I ask.

I try to avoid his gaze, but his eyes lock onto mine and I can't look away. I gulp, sinking down in my seat further until I'm laying completely flat on the seat, with my legs folded up, leaning my knees against the wall. I feel so vulnerable all of a sudden. Then I feel his free hand on my stomach, slowly moving up my coat. I panic.

"Um. T-Tyki..what are you. I-I mean..you can't. There's someone I-" I stutter, and he cuts me off before I can finish.

"I'm sorry dear.." He says in a lower tone.

The little fire on the carpet spreads slowly, dying off in the areas it has already burned through. I look away from Tyki and my eyes land on his shoulder. The dim Amber light glints off of something on his suit.

"Tyki..why are there rain drops on your clothes?' I ask. Thunder rumbles through the train and my relaxed demeanor begins to leave me. Suddenly I remember the shadow passing by the train window. Panic begins to build in my gut. This isn't right.

"Don't think less of me, my dear. Like I said. I'm here on business." He whispers. I look back at him as a devilish grin forms on his face.

I gasp, unable to take another breath. I cannot describe the feeling that I have...inside of me. I look down, to see his arm reaching through my jacket's fabric. It feels like his hand is...inside my chest. I struggle to breathe in. It comes quickly, then leaves me in another gasp.

"That's...impossible." I manage to say.

"You live in a world of demons and innocence and you think that this is impossible?" He chuckles.

"What are you?" I gasp, flinching as the words come out.

"I am your end, exorcist."

I feel his hand tightening in my chest. My heart pounds furiously. The pressure effects all of my body. As his grip slowly tightens, my head throbs and I feel lightheaded, my limbs grow weak with lack of blood circulation. I'm dying.

My instincts kick in and my hands grab at his arm. I use all of my strength to try and pull his arm out, but it's not enough. He's too strong. I gasp for air, but my limbs start to go numb, and I feel like I'm about to blackout.

"L...Lavi.." I whimper. "L-avi...Kanda..help." My hands lose their grip and my brain screams for oxygen. I push at his chest, but my limbs are so weak that he doesn't even budge. I stare up at him. His eyes are wild and his lips are curved up in a disturbing smile. I want to scream, but I don't have the air. I don't have the strength to fight him, not like this.

 _Innocence...activate._


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey guys, I've got a nice long chapter for ya. I am posting this on my phone, so hopefully the format comes out ok. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

The change is instant. It only takes a split second for the fur to sprout, and my bones to grow and shift. It's the fastest that I have ever transformed before, and yet there is no pain. The sudden change catches my attacker off guard. His arm jerks back in surprise. I take my chance, using all four legs to kick him off.

Tyki stumbles back and hits the cabin door. I flip over onto my legs and face him, teeth bared and snarling. A shocked look paints his face, I doubt he's ever seen innocence like this before. _Weren't expecting that were you?_ I growl. Before he can regain his composure, I tackle him. My claws unsheath and dig into his flesh. My fangs snap at his neck.

I hadn't intended to fight him, I just want to escape. Whatever he is, whatever power he possesses, I want no part in it. Never in my life have I experienced such an unholy ability. I've battled akuma and seen evil, but this Tyki is something else. He's a whole other breed, and what his power has shown me, is pure fear and helplessness.

Tyki grabs at my throat, but he can't get his hands around my thick mane and neck. As I thrash around, Tyki's hands slip, giving me my opening. I go straight for his shoulder, sinking in my fangs. He curses as my venom injects into his body. I lock my jaw to seal his fate, but with one heavy swing, he hits me off. His blow leaves me dazed for a moment, but I can see him writhing on the ground, tightly gripping his shoulder.

Normally a bite like that would make an akuma explode, but as each second passes, Tyki seems to be recovering. Once he's back up, I'm sure he'll unleash on me. I don't wait around to give him that chance. I ram the door, breaking it open. Glass shatters all over the floor and wood splinters through the air. I stumble for a moment before charging down the hall. Pain shoots up my leg as a glass shard sinks into the bottom of my paw, but I'm too scared to slow down.

The train is still black, but my primitive eyes can see in the dark. Everything is silent aside from the patter of rain on steel and the occasional boom of thunder. I feel like I've been running for a long time, like these train carts go on forever. _Where are all the people?_ Then a sick feeling grows in the pit of my stomach. _Where's Lavi? Where's Kanda?_ I pick up my stride.

My paw lands in something thick and wet. _What?_ I slow down as the floor beneath me transitions into what must be several inches deep of liquid. _What is this?_ I look down at my paws, but everything looks black. Not even the green glow of innocence on my chest helps me to see. Drawing my face closer to the ground, I sniff at the floor. The scent is all too familiar. _Blood._

Lightning flashes and confirms my fears. Thick blood fills the floor and paints the walls. I shudder as a sickening feeling spreads throughout my body. This is too much blood. Too much for one person. I look into the cabins and see slumped shapes. Lightning flashes again, revealing everything. The bodies of all the train passengers are sprawled out, contorted, bent, torn, and bloodied. They look like they've been ripped to shreds by some horrific beast. Panic takes over me.

 _Lavi! Kanda! Where are you!?_ I howl frantically, stumbling around in the bloodied train cart. I nudge and sniff the bodies, searching for survivors. _Please, please, please. Don't be in here. Don't be dead._ I whimper, my body so full of adrenaline that it is almost too rigid to move. A splashing sound comes from behind me. The same scent from before wafts through the air. I turn around to see Tyki standing menacingly behind me. He strikes a match against the wall.

"Do you like my work?" He grins.

 _You bastard._ I snarl at him.

"I'll admit, you have quite a bite." He smooths out the fabric on his shoulder.

 _I hope it burns._ I growl.

"Unfortunately I must put an end to you now. Just like the others."

 _What did you do to Lavi and Kanda?_

"Let me show you how." He grins, dropping the match and pulling a butterfly looking creature out of his coat. "Tease." His yellow eyes glint wildly as the butterfly leaves his hand and flutters towards me.

I stare at it, confused. It comes at me slowly, non-threateningly. Tyki watches quietly with an evil grin on his face. _Is this a weapon? How could this have killed all these people?_ It lands on the glowing innocence on my chest, and then I understand. It begins moving aggressively, attacking me. It tears at my skin and chips away at my innocence. I try to claw it away, but it dodges me effortlessly.

"Your friends were easy to trick. They fell for my little diversion." Tyki says. My attention turns from the Tease to him. "All it took was a few simple akuma to lure them away from the train." He taunts. I charge him, bringing him to the ground, snapping at his face violently. "Don't worry, they're fine. But when they return, I'll have to deal with them too." He grins.

He grabs my throat and throws me through a cabin door. Shards of glass sink into my side as I hit the ground. I yelp in pain and scramble to my feet. By the time I look up, Tyki is gone.

"Over here." Tyki taunts. I whip around to find him outside the train window. He reaches through the glass and grabs me by the throat again. _How is this possible?_ I growl, trying to pull away. He brings his arm back slowly, pulling me against the glass.

My paws push against it as I try to break free, but Tyki's pull is consistent. When my arms can no longer hold my weight, I slam against the window. My eyes widen as Tyki slowly pulls me forward. The glass begins to crack, it can't hold for much longer. Rain crashes against the window, and with the next boom of thunder, it breaks.

Tyki floats by the train, as if there are extra tracks below his feet. I gasp for air and claw at his chest. He holds me with an outstretched arm, letting my body dangle over the river.

"I had hoped you wouldn't make this so easy." He laughs, squeezing his hand around my neck a little harder. I yelp. A crazed look spreads over his face. "I have to please my evil side, you see. I have to feed the monster in order to preserve my good side. And it is so much fun to have two sides."

He throws me against the side of the train. I can hear something pop in my shoulder. In an attempt to catch myself, I dig my claws into the steel and pull myself onto the roof. The wind nearly knocks me off, but my claws anchor me down.

"Good recovery, but you've only bought yourself a few more seconds." He taunts. I snarl at him, but the rain stings my eyes and makes it hard to see. He opens his arms and a dozen Tease seep out. _Shit._

They fly at me, much faster than before. I try to keep up as they swarm me; destroying one with a hard rake of my claws, snapping another in half with my jaws. I thrash wildly as they rip at my flesh. Blood drips off of my fur and blurs my vision. I lose my footing in the struggle and nearly slip off of the train. One of his Tease attaches itself to my side and begins to bore into my skin. I howl in pain, so loud my voice almost gives out.

"It's too much fun, watching you struggle." Tyki laughs, walking onto the train roof in front of me. "Tease." His weapons suddenly stop their attack and flutter calmly in the air.

His Tease have left my body with dozens of open wounds, and now I'm feeling the effects. My arms shake and my hind legs give out beneath me. Blood mixes with the rain at my feet. _How much have I lost?_ I growl at him defiantly as he steps towards me. He grabs the metal chain around my neck and lifts my tired body. Grinning, he throws me across the train cart.

My innocence gives out as I hit the cold wet steel. Frantic, I catch myself before I slide off the edge. The impact has knocked the wind out of me. I roll onto my back and struggle for air, my breath returning to me in short gasps.

Tyki calmly walks over to where I lay. He stands over me dauntingly, an almost disappointed look on his face. I try to sit up, but I can barely move. I watch as the Tease seep back into his body. It takes all of my effort to lift my head, and look down at my body. My clothes are torn and drenched, and blood pours out of so many wounds that I don't bother trying to count them.

Tyki kneels for a moment, and looks over my battered flesh. He brushes his fingers over a bloody hole in my side, I wince. He examines the blood, then brings it close to his face and licks it off his glove. _This is too much._ I shudder and let my head fall back. He laughs a little to himself, indulging in the moment. Then he stands, with a disturbingly excited look on his face.

"It truly is a pity, even now, in your last moments, you're stunning." He says.

"W-" My words get stuck in my throat.

"Please lie still, I'm going to end this now." He tells me.

"Wha- what are you going to do-" I choke on the words as they come out.

"Sweet girl, I'm going to rip your heart out." He grins.

In a last attempt to escape, I prop myself up onto my elbows, but the rain causes them to slip right out from under me. I gasp, hitting the hard steel once more. I glare at him, blinking away the rain.

"Why?" I growl. "You're no akuma."

"Why?" He laughs. "Because you are an exorcist..." He lifts a gloved hand. "...and I can destroy innocence."

I brace myself as he brings his arm back. His eyes fix on the glowing innocence on my chest. _I'm sorry, Lavi, Kanda._ I can almost hear their voices as Tyki brings down his hand. But before he can reach me, it slams into something.

It's a hammer, a big black hammer and a shining sword. I turn my head slightly so that I can confirm that it's real. And it is. Lavi stands at my left, and Kanda, at my right. Their weapons cross over my body, blocking Tyki's hand. I'm so happy to see them that I nearly cry.

I look up at them in near disbelief. Their eyes are fixed on Tyki, and their bodies are rigid with aggression. I've never seen them so intense. I want to reach up and touch them, but I feel too weak.

"You aren't suppose to be here.." Tyki grumbles disappointedly.

"Neither are you." Lavi growls, his hands gripping the shaft of his hammer so hard that his knuckles turn white.

"Must you interrupt my fun?" Tyki asks, looking down at me.

"L..Lavi.." I manage, tilting my head to get a better view of him.

He tenses at the sound of my voice, but he doesn't look at me. His eyes bore into Tyki with fierce hatred. Tyki watches them for a moment, amused by their reaction. Then he sighs and opens his arms.

"Well then, I suppose this really changes nothing. You will all be dead in the end." He grins.

"We'll see about that." Lavi growls, gritting his teeth.

"Tease."

The little beasts come out by the dozens. The sight of them sends me into panic. I start to lift myself up, but the action is too slow and shaky. Kanda grabs the collar of my jacket and pulls backwards, sliding me a few yards behind them. He slides his fingers along Mugen's blade and slashes it into the air, releasing his netherworld insects. They fly through the air and devour the Tease.

Lavi swings his hammer at Tyki, but Tyki seeps through the steel roof before the hammer can reach him. More Tease fly out of the broken window and swarm Kanda and Lavi. I want to help them, I want to fight, so I muster up my strength and force myself to stand.

As I gain my balance, Tyki emerges from the train roof, phasing through the steel as if he were a ghost. Lavi and Kanda are too preoccupied with the swarm of Tease to notice. I know I'm weak, but I have to activate again if I want to protect them.

 _Innocence!_ A small burst of strength comes to me as I activate. I dash towards the others, struggling to keep my balance on the slippery metal. Tyki raises raises his arm, aiming for Kanda. _No! Kanda!_ I blindside Tyki, and lock my jaws around his arm, placing myself between him and Kanda.

He tries to pull his arm free, but I sink my fangs in deeper. Kanda turns around to find me thrashing around on Tyki's arm. He swings Mugen, but Tyki dodges out of the way. Lavi brings down his hammer and a huge fire snake destroys the swarm of Tease. Once they're dead, Lavi and Kanda turn to Tyki.

"Wait your turn." He grins, slashing his hand through the air. A purple colored energy force blasts Kanda and Lavi back. Then he looks back to me.

"You're biting is getting to be quite an inconvenience." He scolds, hitting me off with a heavy hand backed up by more of his purple energy force. The blow nearly knocks me unconscious. I hit the ground face first, my innocence deactivating on impact.

He grabs me by my chain and drags me to the edge. His free hand pokes at a shard of glass in my side. Pain shoots up through my ribs, taking my breath away. I gasp and try to hit his hand in protest. He chuckles at the site and lifts me up, holding me over the river once more. My hands fly up to my neck, struggling to pull myself up enough to draw breath.

"This is my favorite part, doing it with my own two hands." He grins. "It's a long drop, and the impact won't be easy on your fragile human bones. And in your condition, you could never survive the swim back to the surface-" he pauses, his eyes widening as if something else has caught his attention.

"But I'm having such a nice time..." He says, looking up at the sky.

"Fine.." He sighs and looks back over at me. "I'm being called off, can you believe that? More urgent business apparently...oh well, I can at least tidy up this little mess before I go. It was wonderful playing with you." He grins, then his grip releases, and I'm sent free falling down towards the raging river.

I look up at the train as I fall. Tyki is gone. The train gets smaller and smaller as I plummet, but I can still make out two silhouettes standing at the edge of the train roof. I reach out my hand, I can hear them calling, but there is nothing anyone can do.

My fall comes to a sudden stop as I hit the water's surface. It feels like I've landed on cement, and it forces all of the air out of my lungs. It only takes a second for the black water to engulf me and I feel myself sink slowly into the abyss. I close my eyes and let the current toss me. It flips me around and pulls me deeper. My lungs scream for air, but when I instinctively inhale, all I get is icey water. I stop struggling and focus on the coldness and darkness, allowing myself to let go.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

It's not so bad, drowning. Not once the panic passes and you start to pass out. The heart slows, the eyes fog, the body relaxes. It's like falling asleep. Maybe it's the blood loss, or the cold water, or a bit of both, but nothing hurts anymore. It's just cold and dark and quiet. The only real pain is knowing that once your eyes close, and you fall asleep, you'll never wake up again. That's it.

Something slides under my arms and around my ribs, gripping me tightly. It pulls me inward, so that my back rests on something firm and warm. I can feel it frantically moving the water, driving us upwards. Then my head is breaking the surface and bobbing in the waves. I slip in and out of consciousness as I'm pulled towards the shore.

When I become aware again, I'm being dragged by my coat collar onto muddy ground. My boots are still in shallow water when the tension on my coat is released. Then my head is being tilted back and a finger jabs into the side of my neck. After a few seconds, heavy hands pump my chest up and down.

I jerk my head to the side and spit up water, coughing harshly. When all of the water is out, I suck in a huge breath. My head throbs from being without air for so long.

The hands on my chest move up to my head. They brush away the drenched hair that drapes over my face. Warm palms rest on my cheeks, while a finger gently rubs at my temple.

I open my eyes slowly. Lavi is crouched at my side, leaning over me. His face is shrouded in worry, his eyes frantically scanning. Still panting heavily, I smile at him.

"Hey." I say, giving a weak laugh.

"Sage." He sighs, exhausted.

"He wasn't so tough." I grin, my voice weak and hoarse.

He drops to his forearms, hovering over me. His head hangs over mine, touching our foreheads together. I close my eyes and breathe in his scent. His fingers clench at my hair and I can hear his breathing stifle.

"I thought you were dead." He shudders.

"Not yet" I say, lifting my arm over his shoulders.

"Not any time soon." He says, sitting back up.

"Why did you come back to the train? How did you know?" I ask

"We heard your howl. When we left you, you weren't using your innocence...we shouldn't have left you." Lavi grits his teeth and looks down.

He slides his arm under my shoulders and sits me up. Blood streams down from the cuts on my head and face. Lavi pulls my arm closest to him around his neck and puts his other arm around my waist. Standing slowly, he pulls me up with him. I wince as my wounds sting in the rain.

"The Noah is gone, he disappeared after he threw her." Kanda's voice comes from behind us.

"We should go while we have a break." Lavi says, turning us around.

"I contacted headquarters, they want us back immediately." Kanda replies.

"We're a long way off from HQ, and I don't think that train is going anywhere." Lavi sighs.

Kanda looks over at me and I smile. He's got some wounds too, but Tyki didn't get him. I did it, I protected him. He looks me over, his expression blank.

"Why did you attack him again, after we saved you? You were out of the way, we were handling it." Kanda growls at me.

"Because he was going to kill you, you didn't see him behind you." I explain. I grip at my side, pain shooting through me as I speak.

"Idiot." He grumbles. "He can't kill me."

"Even you have limits, Kanda." I argue. He scoffs and walks over to us.

"We need to leave. Can you walk?" He asks.

I nod and walk forward with Lavi's assistance. Groaning , I lean most of my weight into him. Kanda follows close behind. As we walk, the shards of glass in my skin poke and tear at my insides. Every step pushes more blood out of my wounds, draining my energy.

As we make our way up the slope next to the bridge, runoff races by our feet. I feel the muddy ground beneath us begin to sink and give way. A rush of water streams down towards us, pulling the muddy ground with it.

Lavi loses his footing and falls back. Without his support, I go down right after him, the mud and rocks sweeping us away. I knock back into Kanda, and he digs his fist into the ground and reaches out to catch me, but there's no use. We all tumble down the slope, taken by the mudslide, back down to the riverside.

When the commotion stops, I'm lying on my side, a few feet away from the water. The glass that was sticking out of my skin, is now pushed in deeper from the fall. I gasp for air, and look down at a shard protruding from my thy. I grip it tightly and slowly pull it out. I open my mouth to let out a scream, but it comes out muted and with a short whimper at the end. I throw the glass aside.

Blood shoots out like water from a hose where the shard had been. I press my hand over the wound to stop the blood, but it seeps through my fingers. I look around and see Lavi and Kanda slowly picking themselves up off the ground.

They look hurt, covered in cuts and mud. Lavi cradles his arm as he gets up, and Kanda digs himself out from a pile of collapsed earth. I try to crawl over to them, but the shards of glass make moving unbearable. I grip a shard that sticks out of my ribs, and begin to pull. It comes out slowly, resisting my grasp. I scream in frustration, until my voice goes hoarse and the glass comes out.

I stare at it, with shaky hands. It's much longer than I thought it was; long enough to be a dagger, and coated with my blood. Tears stream down my face against my own will. I drop the shard and reach for another on my inner thigh.

"Stop! Don't touch those!" Kanda yells, running over and grabbing my wrists.

"They hurt!" I cry, trying to rip my hand away.

"They're keeping you from bleeding out." He growls, tightening his grip.

I attempt to break free, but my muscles have no strength left in them. Kanda puts both of my wrists into one of his hands and places the other over the gushing wound on my ribs. I cry out as he pushes down on it, wriggling as it burns. Lavi makes it over to us, still holding his arm. He fits his hand over the hole that the glass left in my thigh. I stifle a sob, and grit my teeth.

"We need to get her to HQ right now." Lavi says.

"Well she's not going to walk there. We're nearly a day's train ride away. She's lost too much blood, she's still losing too much blood." Kanda sighs, shaking his head.

"I can get her there. My hammer."

"You'll have to be fast. The second we start moving, she's going to get worse." Kanda explains.

I start to lose track of their words as a sleepy feeling comes over me. My eyes blink slowly, heavy with fatigue. I close them for a moment, but find it too difficult to open them again. _Maybe I can just sleep through this..._

"Open your eyes! Stay awake!" Kanda yells, shaking me roughly.

"I am.." I mumble, half opening my eyes for a second.

"Sage you have to stay awake." Lavi says. "We're gonna get you home, okay? Just hang on."

I squint at Kanda, trying to obey them. He has a long gash across his face and neck. It looks painful.

"Kanda..you hurt your face.." I mumble, pushing my hand towards the wound.

"Go, now. I'll be right behind you." Kanda tells Lavi, pushing my hands away.

"Right." Lavi says.

He pulls his hammer out from its holster and commands it to grow. Then he carefully lifts me off the ground and holds us against the long handle. The sudden rush from laying down to standing makes my head pound. I slump against the handle and try to keep my eyes open.

"Don't die, Okami." Kanda growls.

"Wouldn't dream..of it." I murmur, closing my eyes.

"If you do, I'll kill you." He presses.

"Sounds good.." My voice trails off as I drift into sleep. I feel the hammer extending and the rush of wind and rain against my skin. Lavi holds me against his chest, keeping me in place.

"Just hang on."

* * *

 **Hah, betcha thought she was a gonner didn't you? (Kappa)**

 **Anyways I hope you enjoy the chapter! I've got some fun stuff planned for the future ^.~ Please leave some feedback in the comments section and let me know what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry guys, I know this one took longer than usual to write, I was havin some issues. BUT WE GOOD NOW. Please comment to let me know how you like this chapter, and let me know about anything that you think could make my writing better, enjoy!**

 **P.S: CrownClown, your comment made me laugh so hard, I'm sorry that you have to wait so long! Haha you're great ^.^**

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

"Clear a table. Get the blood reserves." Muffled voices call out frantically around me.

"Set up a transfusion-quickly, people!"

"Can someone get this bleeding under control please?"

"Give me the clamps."

"Where is that blood?"

I want to open my eyes to see what is going on, but I can't control my body. Everything is numb and cold. My limbs feel heavy and full of static, and I can't even tell if I'm breathing, but I can hear everything going on around me.

"Should we administer an anesthetic?"

"No time."

"Check for responsiveness."

"Hello? Madam exorcist, can you hear us? If you can hear us, open your eyes, or wiggle your fingers."

I put all of my effort into trying to move, but I can't get anything done. I focus my energy on my fingers, but I can't even manage a twitch. Something pryes my eyes open and shines a light in them, before letting them closes again.

"Unresponsive."

"Alright, let's start then. Get that gauze ready, I'm removing this glass."

I can feel pressure in my thigh, as a shard of glass is pulled out. It doesn't hurt, not with everything buzzing. It's like my whole body is asleep. Everything but my mind.

"Sir you can't be in here, you have to leave."

"I just want to see her." I know that voice. It's Lavi's voice.

"You can't, you have to leave!"

"Please, I'll stay out of your way."

"Shit! The glass nicked the artery, I need pressure here now-"

"Sage, it's gonna be ok, I just need you to fight." Lavi says.

I can feel his warm hand grip mine. I want to squeeze him back, but I can't. _Lavi, I'm here._

"You need to leave! Now!" Someone yells. I feel his hand slip off of mine.

"Sage, you can beat this, just hold on-" He tells me. I can hear him being pulled away, but all I want is for him to come back and hold me.

"I can't control this hemorrhaging, set up another transfusion."

"Blood pressure is dropping."

"Get a handle on that bleeding!" The frantic calling around me begins to fade until my whole world is muted.

* * *

 _I open my eyes to find myself standing in the woods. Everything is dark aside from a small light patch where the moonlight breaks through the trees._

 _"Where am I?" I murmur, looking around._

 _"You're dying." A familiar voice answers._

 _A large black wolf emerges from the darkness, green light glowing on its chest. It's eyes lock on mine and I can't look away._

 _"I'm dying?" I ask._

 _"Yes, a few moments more and you will be dead." The wolf answers._

 _"But I'm at a hospital, they can save me. They're already saving me-" The circle of moonlight begins to shrink slowly._

 _"Medicine can't fix this. You're running out of time." The wolf takes a step closer._

 _The circle of light continues to shrink until there is nothing but the green glow of innocence on the chests of the wolf and I. I begin to feel weak and my innocence flickers. I look down to see the green gem dulling on my chest._

 _"Not much longer now." The wolf says._

 _"I-I can't die here, not now." I panic, tapping at my innocence, trying to keep it from going out._

 _"I could help you. I could help us." The wolf says, taking a step towards me._

 _"How?" I ask._

 _"Let me in."_

 _"What?"_

 _"Let me in."_

 _The wolf begins to circle me slowly. I've never seen it quite like this before; calm, unmenacing. Green light dances on its thick black fur, it's own gem of innocence protruding from its chest. It's teal eyes linger on mine as it paces. I had always considered myself to be tall for a girl, but the wolf and I are nearly the same height, even when the beast is on all fours. My innocence flickers again, threatening go out._

 _"You've been fighting to keep me out for all these years, just let me in." The wolf says._

 _"Because you're dangerous!" I stammer._

 _"No more dangerous than anything else we deal with."_

 _"You're too difficult to control."_

 _"I am you."_

 _"We're different."_

 _"We are the same. I am you, you are me. We could be so much stronger, just stop resisting us."_

 _The innocence on my chest begins to burn as the light flickers one more time before dulling to nothing but a dim green ember. I grip my chest and fall to my knees. The wolf towers over me._

 _"We're out of time. Let me in, or this is it, we die, we will never see them again. We'll never see Kanda or Lavi ever again." The wolf says._

 _Lavi and Kanda tried so hard to save me. They had to abort their mission just to get me back to a hospital. Kanda put in effort to make me a better fighter, and Lavi has given up countless nights for my sake. I can't just let them down now. Not like this._

 _"Fine. I'll do it."_

* * *

Slowly, my eyes blink open. Everything is hazy at first, and the light makes it hard to adjust. Squinting, I look down at my body.

I'm laying down in a hospital bed. Thick bandages and needles with tubes cover my arms. I feel cold, except for a warm spot by my side and something on my hand. My neck aches as I tilt it to get a better look.

Crimson hair sticks out from the white bed sheets. _Lavi._ I smile. He sits at the bed with his head face-down by my side. His arm is stretched out across the bed so that his hand rests on mine. A needle and tube stick out of his arm, with dark red liquid traveling through it. _He's giving me his blood._

I rest a hand on his hair, lightly running my fingers through the thick tufts. His head turns slowly as he opens his eyes. I smile at him and his eyes nearly pop out of his head.

"Sage! You're awake!" He exclaims, scrambling in his seat to get closer to me.

"Hey." My voice is weak and hoarse, but it does the trick.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?" He asks, looking me over as if some new wound is going to emerge.

"What happened?" I ask.

"We uh...we were attacked on the train. You got hurt pretty bad. We barely got you here in time. It was...really bad." He says, struggling on the last part.

Memories of the train and the river and Tyki begin to flood back into my foggy mind. I remember his hand, slipping through my chest as if he were reaching into water. I remember being thrown around and seeing Kanda and Lavi, and drowning. No, not drowning, I was pulled from the water. But I don't remember getting here.

"Your arm. You hurt it in the mud slide." I recall, reaching out with my bandaged arm.

"Hm? Oh yea, it's not bad at all, I just dislocated it but it'll be fine." He says, shrugging it off.

"So you're okay." I sigh in relief. "Wait what about Kanda?"

Lavi nods with his head over to the other side of the room. I look to see Kanda, slumped over in a chair by the wall, fast asleep. The wound on his face has completely healed without so much as a scar or blemish. _They're both okay._

"Ah, look who's awake!" A voice says from behind us. I look back to see a woman in a doctor's uniform approaching the bed. "How are you feeling?" She asks, stopping next to Lavi.

"I'm feeling fine, a bit tired, and sore, but fine." I reply.

"Well that is to be expected, you gave us quite a scare you know. Thought we'd lost you for a while, but somehow, you pulled through." She smiles.

"Sorry, I don't really remember anything after the river." I explain.

"That's alright." She presses her finger over the needle in Lavi's arm before pulling it out quickly. "That's enough of that, don't want to bleed you dry too."

"I'm fine, honestly." Lavi protests, rubbing the puncture mark on his arm.

"No need, the rest she can regenerate on her own, it looks like we are in the clear for now." The doctor insists.

The door to the room opens and a man I don't recognize walks in. He looks official, but he isn't wearing an exorcist's coat or a doctor's uniform. Suddenly it feels like everyone in the room is on edge. He takes his time making his way over to the rest of us, lingering behind the doctor like a shadow. Lavi doesn't look up at the man, instead he keeps his gaze low and in my general direction.

"Madam exorcist, I have a few questions I would like to ask you." The man says, his voice deep and gruff.

"Can't this wait?" The doctor growls in a hushed voice.

"No. Doctor, it can't, time is of the essence." He replies firmly.

He turns his attention back to me and continues with an empty smile.

"Tell me about your innocence."

"Uh, well, it's parasitic type. It's weaponized in the form of a large black wolf.." I explain.

"But where in your body does the innocence reside?"

"Here I suppose." I say, tapping the green gem on my chest. "But it's in my bloodstream too."

"And do you ever lose control of your innocence?"

"E-excuse me?" I blink at him.

"Do you ever snap? Black out during an activation? Lose control of your innocence?" He drills.

"I-I don't think-" I stammer, overwhelmed by him.

"I think that's enough for today." Kanda's voice commands from across the room.

I look over to see Kanda still slumped in his chair, now glaring at the man next to me. He might look relaxed, but his expression is stern. The man at my side gives a reluctant grunt before backing off to the exit. The doctor pats me on the shoulder and tells me that she will be back later to check on me, and follows the man outside. Once they're gone, Kanda gets up and walks over to the me. I smile as he crouches down by the bed.

"Your wound is all better." I say, reaching up to touch his face.

"Yours aren't." He says, flinching away from my hand.

"It's not so bad, I can't hardly feel anything." I shrug.

"Not so bad? Have you seen yourself?" He asks, pulling the bed sheets off of me.

"Hey, take it easy Kanda." Lavi says.

I look down at my body. Instead of a typical hospital gown, my body is covered in wraps. Thick layers of bandages cover my chest, ribs, arms, and legs. In between the wraps, my pale, bare skin shudders at the cool air. Patches of my skin are colored blue and yellow, and dried blood spots my bandages. The gem of innocence on my chest has a hairline crack running diagonally across it. I curse under my breath.

"I told you, you shouldn't have come." Kanda sighs.

"It's fine, I'll be fine." I argue.

"A dislocated shoulder, shattered ribs, countless lacerations, near-fatal blood loss, a collapsed lung, and a ruptured stomach. You shouldn't. Have come." He continues.

"Kanda, that's enough." Lavi says, pulling the bed sheet back up to my chest.

Kanda exhales loudly and gently places a heavy hand on my head. Lavi lays his head back down and puts his hand over mine again. I look up at Kanda and chew at my lip, embarrassed at my current state. He rolls his eyes and pats my head.

"I'm sorry." I mumble.

"At least you didn't screw up the not dying part." He sighs. "Get some rest, you have a lot of recovering to do."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

" _Don't fight it girl." He taunts. "There's no use in fighting it."_

" _Leave me alone." I growl._

" _But you know this is my favorite part." He whispers._

" _Stop!" I scream._

 _A gloved hand grips my arm tightly and whips me around. I squeeze my eyes shut as I'm pulled into a firm body. The arms hold me here like an iron vice. I lock my arms in front of me and push away from him with all my strength. But it's no use, he easily overpowers me, and I struggle as I feel him forcing me to the ground._

" _This is my favorite part. I like to do it with my own hands." He teases._

" _Let go!" I scream. "Get off!"_

 _He pulls me to the ground and pins me on my back. I kick and shove my knee into his chest, trying to force his weight off of me. He chuckles at my attempts and uses one hand to force down my leg. I let out a growl of frustration as he positions himself over me so that I can't kick anymore. With one hand he holds down both my arms over my head, and the other lingers over my chest._

" _Rip your heart out." His voice chants above me._

" _No!" I roar, wriggling beneath him._

 _My eyes shoot open and glare into his piercing yellow gaze. A predatory grin spreads across his face as he lets out a sigh. My eyes water as I feel his hand reaching through my chest, gripping my heart. A burst of adrenaline surges through me and I jerk forward in an explosive motion._

* * *

"No!" I scream, hurling myself forward. I wince as my ribs pop. It feels like a dozen needles are trying to stab their way out from my torso. My scream is caught in my throat as a spray of blood forces its way out of my mouth.

"Hey!" Lavi yells, grabbing my shoulders and easing me back down. "What are you doing moving like that?!"

"I-" I wince, my ribs still riddled with pain.

"You're bleeding through your wraps, you must've messed up your ribs again." He says, frantically gazing over my shuddering body.

"I can't breathe, it hurts." I manage through sucked in breaths.

"I'll go get the doctor." Lavi says as he darts for the door.

"Try to relax." Kanda says.

He places a hand on my forehead, holding it flat against the pillow. His other hand hovers over the bandages around my ribs. I wince as the slightest touch sends electrifying pain through my torso. Beads of sweat begin to form on my face. I hadn't even noticed how badly I've been shaking.

"Hold still, you've definitely messed yourself up again." He says softly, softer than his usual tone.

"It hurts." I say through clenched teeth.

"What happened?" A familiar female voice calls out. The doctor from before comes rushing over to my bedside.

"My ribs." I gasp.

"She was sleeping, and then she shot forward suddenly and unset her ribs." Lavi explains. The doctor feels my sides and shakes her head.

"Yes, you've undone all of my good work. Alright hold on, you're going to want to be out for this." She tells me, pulling a syringe out of her pocket and sticking it into my arm.

I whimper and clench the bed sheets. The doctor has Kanda and Lavi hold my arms down while she starts undoing the wraps around my ribs. I instinctively wriggle as my sides sting and ache, but it only makes things worse. I cry out when the doctors hands start moving along my bare skin. When I see my entire torso covered in purple and black bruises, I panic.

"Stop! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!" I screech.

"You have to stop moving. The medicine will kick in any moment." The doctor says.

"Stop touching me-" I huff, grinding my teeth together.

"I have to do something about these ribs." She says firmly.

Her hands push against my sides and the crushing pain leaves me whaling. But then the pain begins to dull as a wave of sleep washes over me. The drugs she injected me with are starting to kick in. As painful as this is, I fight the anesthesia, because sleep will only send me back to Tyki, where I'll have to re live his tortures. But as each second passes, my limbs get heavier and heavier and my mind begins to slip.

"Please.." I look up at Lavi and Kanda. "Don't let..him...get me..." I manage to get the words out before I lose all of my strength. Lavi's grip falters for a moment, and I can see a ping of guilt and rage in his eye. Kanda just stares into my eyes until I finally give in to the medication, and fall asleep.

* * *

Waking slowly, I suck in a shaky breath. I wince as sharp pain echoes around my rib cage, and my already closed eyes squeeze together in response to the pain. A warm hand gently presses down on my collar, and I let out an uneven whimper.

"Shhh...take it easy." Lavi's familiar voice coos. "Can we get her some painkillers please?" He asks in a low voice. A moment later, I feel the pinch of a needle in my arm and the sting of medicine being pushed into my veins.

"Just give that some time to kick in." Lavi soothes.

I open my eyes slowly and focus on breathing with as little movement as possible. Lavi moves his hand to my head and pets my hair. Everything feels groggy, like I've been sleeping long and hard. My mouth feels rough and dry and my limbs feel stiff and weak. My shallow breaths bring on persistent aching from my ribs, as I struggle to avoid filling my lungs completely. I've never felt this pathetic before, this weak. I swallow hard and try to toughen up.

"How long was I out?" I ask, my voice weaker and huskier than I remember. Lavi bites his lip.

"After that last incident, you really messed yourself up. The doctor sedated you, but the damage just wasn't healing well, so she just kept medicating you before the effects wore off. You've been asleep for about six days." He explains.

"Six days!?" My outburst sends electrifying jolts of pain through my sides. I squeak and grip the bed sheets.

"Hey, hey, hey. Easy, easy." He soothes.

"I've just been laying here for six days?" I gasp.

Anger bubbles up inside me. I want to rip the tubes out of my arms and claw these bandages off and climb out of this god forsaken bed. _Six days. Six entire days. How could I have let all that time escape me?_ I flex my stomach just to test what sitting up would feel like, but the wave of pain that greets me is too much. Pain and frustration get the better of me and a hot tear escapes my eye. Lavi looks me over wide eyed.

"Hey, what's wrong? Does it hurt too much? Maybe the doc should put you under-"

"No! No more drugs. I don't want to sleep through another-Agh!" Another wave of pain washes over me, and I finish with clenched teeth. "I don't want to sleep through another second."

"Ok, let's just take it easy, alright?" He says.

I nod and look past him. Kanda is leaning against the only door into the room, his arms crossed and his usual scowl painted across his face. He's too far for me to raise my voice high enough to be heard, so I turn back to Lavi.

"Why is he blocking the doorway?" My voice crackles. Lavi looks over his shoulder for a moment.

"Do you remember that man that came into question you?" He asks, and I nod. "Well he came back, a lot of times actually. He even tried to wake you up. He got really impatient and went as far as attempting to inject you with an adrenaline shot, but not before Kanda and I jumped on him. Whatever answers he's looking for, he's willing to compromise your safety for them."

"When was he here last?" I ask.

"He tried coming by earlier today. But Kanda has been guarding the door for the past four or five days. Don't worry, he won't bother you as long as we're here." He grins.

I smile lightly, but it quickly fades. _Six whole days of just laying here. Why haven't I healed up yet? I made a pact with the wolf, so why don't I have its strength?_ I fight back the tears as they sting my eyes. I can't just continue to lay here and be useless. And now I'm letting Lavi see me cry? What kind of failure have I become? A week ago I never would have let anyone see me cry, not while I was conscious and able to contain it. Now I just feel like everything is slipping, like I'll never be strong again. Like I'll never fight again.

"I'm so sorry." I sigh, willing the tears away.

"What are you sorry for?" Lavi asks perplexed, grabbing my hand with his free hand.

"I've been so useless to you all. All I've been lately is a burden. We should be out there fighting, not sitting in here, waiting for me to pull myself back together. And now I'm here and I'm weak, and I'm crying in front of you. I'm so sorry Lavi, I thought that I was stronger than this. What if I don't heal right? What if I never fight again? An exorcist who can't figh-" Before I can say anything else, Lavi shakes his head and closes the gap between us.

His lips press against mine firmly but gently. He squeezes my hand and grips the hair he had been stroking. I'm so taken by surprise that I don't even know what to do. I close my eyes as all my anger and frustration dissipates. Butterflies replace the aching in my sides and goosebumps decorate my pale skin. An odd feeling rises from my chest as my heart races.

He pulls away slowly, and I have to catch my breath. When he looks at me again, I suddenly feel embarrassed. A sly grin spreads across his face and he chuckles under his breath. All I can do is stare at him, dazed and pleasantly surprised, as I try to calm myself back down.

"Lavi." I gasp.

"Sorry, I should've asked." He says, averting his gaze.

I shake my head quickly and he laughs again. Suddenly a wave of sleep washes over me and I feel like I'm going to pass out. I grip Lavi's arm with my hand closest to him.

"Did you give me a sedative?" I ask, starting to lose consciousness.

"No, what's wrong?" He asks, concerned.

"Why am I...sleeping...again?" I manage before my eyes close and I slip into unconsciousness once more.

* * *

 **Hey guys thanks for waiting on me to post these. But fun fact! Since i posted the last chapter, I have graduated high school! Ayyyyy! (hopefully that isn't disappointing to anyone in terms of age).**

 **But anyways! Here you go! I will begin the next chapter ASAP and post it with much haste!**

 **Thank you for all the positive reviews! I really appreciate it, let me know how you like this chapter and as always, let me know what you guys think would add to the story or make my writing better. Enjoy! ^.~**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello everyone! I hope all is well as you're all getting back into their school/college schedules (or whatever you might be doing). I've been quite busy myself, as I am still trying to settle into my first semester of college here at Penn State University. But have no fear, I am still working on this fanfic. (Sooo sorry for the hiatus)**

 **I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I know we left off on a bit of a cliff hanger last time. Please leave a review to let me know what you think and as always I am open to suggestions/criticism.**

 **Thanks guys! ^.~**

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

A soft breeze carries the faint scent of a woodfire smoke, slowly waking my dulled senses. Bright light seeps through my eyelids. Squinting, I open my eyes and suck in a breath of fresh air. No pain fills my chest as I breathe. _No pain…?_

"Hey, there she is." Lavi's voice coos.

"Well it's about time." Kanda grumbles.

"W-what happened?" I ask. My voice is stronger than I expected it to be, despite the painful dryness in my throat.

When my eyes finally adjust to the light, Kanda and Lavi are standing on either side of my bed. They look well rested, and less worried than they were last I saw them. A satisfied grin is painted across Lavi's face.

"You healed up quite a bit, that's what happened." Lavi answers, gesturing for me to see for myself.

"What?" I ask, confused. I lift my arms and find that they are no longer stuck with needles and tubes. I test out my hands, rolling my wrists and extending my fingers. "No way…"I prop myself up on my elbows and pull the bedsheet off of my body. My bandages are clean and above all else, there is no pain.

I run my hand over my sides, pressing on the bandages, feeling for any tenderness. But there is none, if anything, it feels good. I shake my head, confused.

"Seriously guys, what happened? How...how is this possible?" I ask.

"After you passed out that last time, your innocence acted up. It started glowing as soon as you passed out and didn't stop until you woke up. It was incredible, your vitals stabilized and your wounds even began to heal." Lavi explained.

"How long was I out?"

"Uh, well, don't freak out again. But uh...it's been a few days." Lavi says, scratching the back of his head.

"You're kidding me." I sigh, plopping back down onto my back. "Well I feel fine now, can I get up?"

"Just take it slow."

I nod and sit up slowly. Nothing hurts, so I slide my legs over the bed. They hang there awkwardly as the blood rushes back into them. Taking a deep breath, I push myself forward and place a foot on the ground. I try to stand, but my stiff limb struggles to hold the weight.

"Here." Lavi offers his arm out to me.

"Thanks.." I grab his arm and pull myself up.

I wait a moment, trying to get use to standing up straight. Releasing Lavi's arm, I stabilize myself, before gingerly taking a step forward. My legs feel awkward and heavy, like little pins and needles are poking at my pale skin.

"You okay?" He asks.

"Yea, just trying to get my footing." I say, shaking out my legs to get the blood going again.

"Does anything hurt?"

"I'm not sure yet, I don't think so." I let go of his arm and take a few steps on my own.

After days without movement, these little steps feel incredible. I let out a sigh of relief and whirl around in a wide circle. I stretch out my legs and spread out my arms, cracking my back. My side aches from where the deepest wounds are still healing, and I flinch, but overall, everything feels fine.

"What was that, did something hurt?" Lavi asks.

"Yea, just a little sore is all. No big deal." I say, smiling at him.

"Well let's take it easy ok?" He sighs.

I look down at my body, suddenly remembering that I'm wearing bandages instead of clothes. My cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I look around the room frantically.

"Um, where is my uniform?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Oh, about that…" Lavi says slowly, scratching the back of his head like he always does when he's nervous.

"What?"

"Well, your uniform kinda got shredded on that last mission...so you don't really have one right now."

"You've got to be kidding me." I moan.

"But don't worry! Your new one is already being made, should be done by now to be honest, but I guess these things take a while."

"In the meantime, you should start getting back into training." Kanda says.

I nod in agreement and stretch my arms out a bit more. Just then, the door opens up and a vaguely familiar man walks in. I stare at him as he walks towards me, trying to place him. His face is stern and he walks with a quick step. He's an older man, and not in the typical exorcists uniform. Then it hits me; he's the man from before. The man that questioned me about my innocence when I first woke up in the infirmary.

I take a step back as he walks right past Lavi and plants himself in front of me. He's much taller than I remember, and I have to look up to look him in the eyes. He wastes no time with formalities, and judging by his scowl, he's in a poor mood.

"Madam exorcist, I'm glad to see that you are up and well, perhaps now we can answer those questions?" He asks as if it is a question, but he has full authority in his voice.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I remember everything from before, it's all a bit foggy." I say, smiling awkwardly.

"Time is pressing so do try your best. Tell me about the first time your innocence caused you injury." He says.

"I'm sorry...I'm not sure what you mean." I say, my eyes averting immediately.

"I think it's best if you answer truthfully." He says impatiently.

 _Shit. How could he know about what's been happening with the wolf? He talks like he knows something. If that's so, and he already knows the answers then why the hell is he asking me questions?_ I turn my gaze back up to him.

"My injuries have only ever been caused by combat." I say.

"Speaking of which, how is your relationship with the other exorcists you work with?"

"We work well together." I reply, a bit confused.

"And how does friendly fire effect that?"

"Excuse me?" I ask, surprised.

"Does it cause any...tension between your team, when you become the target instead of the akuma?" He asks in a suggestive tone. I can hear Kanda tense up behind me.

"I already told you, all injuries on the field are a result of combat, nothing else." I say, annoyed.

"I see. And can you tell me the last time you had nightmares regarding your innocence?" He asks.

"I can't remember. The past few haven't been about that sort of thing."

I don't like the way he asks these questions. They're odd and accusing. Kanda and Lavi stand by me but they seem even more tense than I am.

"It's true you've been through what I'm sure was a very traumatic situation." He ponders.

"Yes, I suppose you could consider it that." I say, ready to end this conversation.

"I'm curious, what was it like to be in the presence of a Noah? In the presence of such power?"

"Infuriating." I say coolly.

"Tell me, what was it like to have someone hold your heart in their hand? To be that close to death. What does it feel like?" His eyes bore into mine.

A shiver runs down my spine as his words take me back to that night on the train. My chest tightens at the memory and I feel sick. _Screw this._

"We're done here." I say, shoving past him in an attempt to get to the door.

"Madam exorcist." He grabs my wrist firmly, pulling me more to his level. My arm has to extend upward to meet the demand and I gasp as it makes my healing wounds ache.

"Let go of me." I growl.

"You never answered my question. What does it feel like to be thrown around like a ragdoll?" He presses.

Then Lavi's hand is gripping the man's wrist, squeezing it tightly. He's almost standing between us, with his back to me. His stance his tense and he seems to be standing taller and broader than he was before.

"Enough." Lavi says in a quiet and serious voice.

We stand there for a moment before I begin to feel the grip on my wrist loosen. I rip my hand away and take a step back behind Lavi, rubbing at my sore arm. Kanda walks up to Lavi's side, glaring at my questioner.

"Perhaps another time then." The man says.

"Don't come near her again." Lavi says, still holding his wrist.

"We'll see." He says.

Kanda nudges Lavi with his shoulder and he lets go of the man's wrist. They wait as he smooths out his clothes from the little confrontation, before turning for the door and leaving. Once the door is shut and the man is gone, they ease up a bit.

"You ok?" Lavi asks, turning to face me.

"Yea, who is that guy?" I ask.

"I'm not entirely sure myself, but we'll keep him away from you. Don't worry." He says, placing a hand on my head. "Now let's focus on more important things. You've got some catching up to do."


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello everyone! I have a brand new chapter for you, the first new chapter in almost a year. I will be posting much more regularly now.**

 **Please leave me a review to let me know what you think about the chapter, suggestions are greatly appreciated! Follow and Fav the story to see future updates! Enjoy ^.^**

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

It's been a few days since I left the infirmary and my strength is slowly returning. My wounds have continued to heal at an incredible rate; but certain places are still very sore where the injuries were the most severe. Kanda's had me in the training room doing strength exercises but refuses to work on anything that even remotely resembles fighting.

"That's enough for today." Kanda says.

"Come on Kanda, you know I'm hardly breaking a sweat anymore." I protest.

"What, you want to end up in a hospital bed again?" Kanda growls.

"No, I just don't want to waste away into a useless little flump." I sass back.

"You're ridiculous." Kanda sighs, throwing me a towel that he had over his shoulder. I catch it just before it hits the floor.

"You're stubborn." I tease, wiping the towel across my forehead.

Once I've cleaned myself up a bit, Kanda escorts me to the dining hall. The first few days out of the intermarry I could only have liquids due to my ruptured stomach, but thanks to my accelerated healing I've already been able to start incorporating small amounts of solid food.

Kanda sits me down at a table before going off to get food for the both of us. He returns a few minutes later with a large tray. Two big bowls of soup and a thick slice of bread for me and soba for him.

"Thanks." I say, stirring around the soft contents of my soup.

"It's hard to tell whether or not this is enough for a parasitic type, but given recent circumstances, it might be best to give your stomach a break from your usual portions." Kanda explains, looking over at Allen, who's sitting a few tables over, finishing off what looks like his fifth plate.

I nod in agreement and soak my bread. We sit in silence for a few minutes, which isn't unusual for Kanda and I, but he keeps pausing from his meal like he's going to say something.

"Sage! Perfect!" Johnny breaks the silence, running over to our table.

"Hey Johnny." I smile.

"I was hoping to find you here, how are you feeling? I have something for you." He says excitedly.

He places a neatly wrapped paper package on the table. I know what it is right away. I tug at the strings holding the paper together, excitedly unwrapping the bundle.

"When I found out your last uniform was ruined, I got to work on a new one right away." He beams.

"Thank you so much Johnny!" I say as I hold up the new jacket.

"Uhm...I did make a few alterations. I hope you don't mind." He says, blushing lightly.

The jacket is slightly longer than before, resting mid thigh in the front and tapering down in the back into a point that reaches just below the back of my knees. The sleeves are elbow length just like on my first jacket, but they look to be looser around the arms. The most notable change is a large peaked hood. The neckline still cuts down, but instead of a flared collar, the cut leads to the start of the hood.

"It's perfect." I say, brushing my fingers over the familiar black fabric and silver buttons.

"I'm glad you like it." Johnny smiles proudly.

"Are those bottoms?" I ask, reaching for a folded pair of white pants.

"Oh yea! Well, you were always wearing cargo pants before, and…well I figured it would be safer if you had a full proper uniform." He explains. "There's boots too."

I hold up a pair of long white pants. The material is sturdier than the cargo pants I wore before, and matches the caliber of the jacket. A thicker, black material stretches in jointed sections along my quads and shins and the sides of my legs, creating a thick leathery armor along the white fabric.

Then Johnny sets a pair of tall black boots down next to me. They're thick and leather with slight wrinkles from the thick material. I turn one over to look at the bottom. They're flat healed with a toothy textured bottom for gripping.

"Thank you so much Johnny, it's all perfect." I say, standing to give him a hug.

"Oh good, you know we were all so worried when we got reports that all our exorcist teams overseas were being ambushed. We can't do much to help you from our lab, at least not while you're so far away...we just have to hope you all get home safely. And then you came, in the state you were in…and no one knew if you'd make it or not…" He trails off, sniffling.

"Oh Johnny, don't be upset. It all worked out, I'm fine! Really!" I laugh, patting him gently.

He nods and wipes his nose on his sleeve before giving me a smile. I unbutton the exorcist jacket and slip it on over my cami. It fits perfectly, just as before; clinging to my figure.

"Well I better get back to the lab. I'm glad you like your new uniform! Get better soon, Sage!" He says before turning for the exit.

"Will do! Isn't he the sweetest?" I ask Kanda, sitting back down to eat my soup.

"Hmh." Kanda grunts, uninterested.

I slip off my dirty pants from training and pull on the pair Johnny gave me. They're tight, like a second layer of skin, but they fit perfectly. I look up to see a flustered Kanda.

"What?" I ask, pulling off my shoes.

"Do you mind?" He growls, averting his eyes to his bowl of half eaten soba.

"Oh please, Kanda there's hardly anyone in here. No one's looking." I roll my eyes, slipping my feet into the new pair of boots; they come right up over my knee, just how I like.

I have a new found energy now that I'm wearing a new and improved uniform. Smiling to myself, I start at my meal with a familiar appetite. Kanda fidgets in between bites.

"What is it?" I ask, scraping up my last bit of soup.

"Your innocence." Kanda grumbles.

"What about it?"

"It's been behaving differently." He says, putting down his chopsticks.

"What do you mean?"

"It hasn't...interacted...with you at all, in your sleep I mean. Like it usually does." He explains.

"I suppose it's just because it's been so preoccupied with healing me." I laugh awkwardly.

"I don't think we should forget about what happened at the end of our mission together. You can't seriously think that was a one time thing, can you?"

"I don't know what that was." I hiss. "Besides, I have nightmares about other things these days." I add, trailing off.

Lavi walks up behind me before Kanda can say anything else. He rests his hands on my shoulders. Kanda nods at him and piles our empty dishes into one pile, before getting up and leaving the table. I turn around to greet Lavi.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asks.

"Pretty good." I smile.

"It's getting late, doc says you still need to rest. Come on, I'll take you to your room."

"Okay, sounds good." I tell him.

* * *

Lavi walks me through the castle corridors, keeping up small talk with questions about training. He playfully nudges me with his shoulder when I get quiet. I tell him I'm tired from training. More tired than normal, probably because of all the healing. We're nearly at my door when a nurse from the infirmary intercepts us.

"I was just coming to get you. I want to do a head to toe check of all your wounds, to see how they're healing. Just come with me back to the infirmary, it shouldn't take long." She says.

"Right now?" I ask.

"It won't take long, it's an easy check-up." She assures me.

"Hey, I could do it. It's easy, you said it yourself. We're just checking to make sure everything is healing okay, right?" Lavi jumps in, noticing my disappointment at the nurse's request.

She hesitates, giving Lavi a skeptical stare. She opens her mouth like she's going to argue, but stops herself and sighs. Lavi grins and slides an arm around my shoulder.

"You know I know what to do. I've seen you do it a thousand times over the past few weeks," He pries. "Come on doc, she's tired and going all the way down to the infirmary will just be a hassle."

"Alright, but if anything is out of the ordinary you come straight to me." She says finally.

"You're the best, doc." Lavi smiles.

* * *

I sit on my bed and pull off my boots. Lavi kneels in front of me, sliding the boots under the bed as I take them off. He taps the armor like sections on my pants.

"Sorry, it's gonna be difficult to check you with this uniform on...could you change?" He asks.

"Yea, sure. Just give me a minute, can you...uh...turn around, or not looking or something?" I say shyly.

Lavi chuckles and walks over to the window. I peel off my pants quickly and unbutton my jacket. I look over to make sure Lavi is still staring out the window before changing into pajama shorts and a clean cami.

"Okay, I'm done." I say. He walks over and kneels down in front of me.

"Just tell me if anything hurts." He says.

He starts at my feet, slowly running his hands around my skin, pausing on bruises and scarring. I wince as his fingers push on the thickest scar on my inner thigh.

"Sorry." He says, moving on to my torso. He lifts the bottom of my shirt, carefully pressing on my stomach. I try to keep my breathing steady, but his touch is making me nervous. His hands run over my ribs. He's focused on his work, seemingly oblivious to my tension. His fingers push on a still healing wound, the place where the glass shards penetrated deepest.

"Ah-" I yelp as pain pounds from the wound.

"Are you okay?" He asks, pulling his hands away.

"Yea, just...still healing I guess."

"I'm almost done." He says gently, pulling my shirt back down over my stomach.

He pauses, still holding my shirt. His gaze is low, and there's a sudden tension between us. A tightness builds in my stomach.

"Lavi…" I say quietly. He doesn't move. "Lavi-" I can barely get his name out before his face is right in front of mine. He's still not looking at me, his gaze is held low. His eyes are fixed on the gem on my chest. He lifts his hand from my shirt and smooths a lock of my hair through his fingers until he reaches the tips. He lets his hand drop to a pink scar across my collarbone, tracing it with his fingers. They hover over the gem on my chest before tracing the hairline fracture running across the glowing stone.

"He did this to you. I let him do all of this." He says in a low voice.

"Lavi...none of this is your fault." I tell him, a wave of guilt washing over me.

"Of course it is, we're a team, the three of us. We shouldn't have left you there all alone. It was pointless." He says, letting his hand drop to his side. "I promise...I'm never going to let him hurt you, ever again. Not as long as I'm breathing."

He looks up, meeting my gaze. I can't tell what he's thinking, his expression is too mixed and unclear, like he's deep in thought. His hand reaches beneath my chin, tilting it upwards, resting his forehead against mine. I tilt my head to the side, wanting to kiss him, but I'm too nervous to come any closer. He closes the gap, as if he knows what I'm thinking.

His lips are warm and soft. I have to grab his shoulders to hold myself steady. He grips my waist, gentle at first and then tightly. My instincts tell me to get him closer, to take us further. I stand on my toes, pushing back against his kiss.

Lavi pauses for a moment, breathing heavily. He lifts me up onto his hips, gripping my thighs. I wrap my arms around his neck and twist my fingers through his crimson hair. He carries us back, in one quick burst we're on my bed. I lean onto my back, pulling him with me. His hand moves over my side while his other arm suspends him over me. In an instant, my shirt is on the floor and his fingers are tracing my bare skin. My head falls back as he kisses my neck.

A smile spreads across my face as my heart pounds. I want him as close as possible. He feels good with me, but then all I can feel is his hand on my stomach, nearing my chest, and then my heart is really pounding. Panic creeps up on me.

"Stop-wait." I pant, placing a firm hand on his chest.

"What, what's wrong...sorry, this is too fast, isn't it?" He says, leaning back to look at me.

"No, it's not that. It's just…" I trail off, unable to meet his gaze.

"What is it?" He asks.

"The last time a man was on top of me, he was trying to rip my heart out of my chest." I say, nervously. "It's just, I can't help it, it's like a reaction...I'm nervous." I suck in a sharp breath.

Lavi's jaw clenches. He grips the sheets so tightly his knuckles turn white.

"I will kill him, if he ever comes near you again." He whispers through clenched teeth. "I promise, I'll keep you safe…"

"Lavi…" I exhale shakily.

"I promise." He repeats, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I love you." I close my eyes and kiss him.

After a few moments, we pull apart. He moves to my side, sliding his arm under my shoulders. I turn into him as he wraps his arms around me, pulling me close. I nestle my head under his chin and focus on him; his warmth, his smell, the rising and falling of his chest.

My heart finally slows down enough for me to relax again. Lavi strokes my hair slowly, putting me to sleep. I close my eyes and begin to fall asleep.

"I love you too." Lavi whispers.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello everyone!**

 **Well since the last chapter, I have managed to hyperextend and tear the ligaments in my foot and possibly fracture the bone :) as much as it sucks, it does forcibly bench me from sports, which means more time to write!**

 **Please leave a fav and review to let me know what you think of the chapter, I love hearing from you guys!**

 **OH and quick warning, this chapter gets a bit...lemonie ^.~**

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

An arm wraps around my ribs and holds me against a warm body. I breathe in deeply and stretch my legs. The arm around me tightens, pulling me closer. I open my eyes and smile, slowly waking up.

"Good morning" A voice whispers in my ear.

"Good morning, Lavi." I say, turning over to face him.

As I turn over, the thin blanket over me slumps down, revealing my shirtless chest. A sudden panic rushes over me. I look down and see that I'm wearing only my underwear. Then I remember last night, and heat flushes to my cheeks.

"L-Lavi-" I say again, quickly pulling up the sheet and covering my chest.

"Yes?" He smirks, noticing my embarrassment.

"You should go- I mean we should go. Not together-probably. Someone will see us." I sputter, suddenly very flustered.

"No one's going to see us in your room." He chuckles.

"I should put some clothes on."

"Why?" He asks playfully.

"Because we should get up." I laugh awkwardly.

"Bet I can convince you to stay." He says with a devilish grin.

He moves over me, pulling the sheets aside. He presses his lips to my neck, sending chills down my spine. His hand slides under the small of my back while the other slowly strokes my chest. I grip the collar of his jacket, tension building in my chest. His hand glides down my side to the soft skin of my inner thigh.

I yelp nervously as his hands stroke dangerously close. He lets out a satisfied huff at my reaction. My heart pounds as he turns his head from my neck to my face. A playful smirk is painted across his face as he lifts the small of my back so that I press up against him. Heat washes over my body as he stares into my eyes. I pull him by his collar and kiss him, wrapping my free hand around his neck, twisting my fingers into his hair.

His touch sends my mind into a frenzy and I push back against him on instinct. I feel nervous, like I'm afraid to mess up, but the more he touches me, the less control I have. My hand fumbles to unzip his jacket. He shrugs it off quickly. I pull off his shirt, tossing it aside, revealing his sculpted chest. He grabs my hips and pulls them up to his waist. I wrap my legs around his back and pull him down. My hands move over the rolling muscles of his back, sliding over to his abs.

He breathes heavily, kissing my neck and rubbing my legs while my hands explore his body. My heart pounds as my body aches for him. I reach down to his belt and slowly start to undo the buckle. He tenses up as I slide the belt out of its loops and let it drop to the floor. I can hardly control myself as I reach for the button when a sudden knock at the door stops me dead in my tracks.

"You're late baka." Kanda's voice calls from behind the door. Lavi sighs and laughs quietly.

"R-right...sorry! I-I'll be right there!" I yell back as normally as I can manage. I hold my breath until I hear his footsteps leading away from the door and let out a sigh. Lavi laughs.

He gets up on his knees and kneels above me. I blush at his muscular display. He huffs and brushes his fingers through his hair before picking up his shirt and looking at me.

"Would it be too obvious if you wore this?" He asks, holding it out.

"Don't tease me." I roll my eyes and push his hand away.

"Yes ma'am." He grins.

He pulls his shirt over his head and moves off the bed. As soon as he's up, I reach for my clothes and dress myself quickly. I'm reaching for the door when Lavi grabs my arm and pulls me back into him.

"Don't over do it. I'll see you later." He says, kissing my cheek before letting me go.

"See you later." I smile, opening the door.

I close the door behind me and hurry off to the training area to find Kanda. No one was around to see me leave, and with any luck, Lavi will go un-noticed too. I don't think Bookman would approve of Lavi being in a relationship, and I don't want to draw attention from the other exorcists.

I run into the training area and find Kanda waiting in his usual spot. He raises an eyebrow at me as I clumsily tie my hair up and stumble into the soft dirt of the arena.

"You're awfully flustered this morning." Kanda says.

"What? What do you mean? I'm fine." I say quickly.

"Uh-huh...well, I think it's safe enough for you to activate. But take it slow."

"Wait, really!?" I ask, excitement replacing my nervousness.

"Yea, yea, don't get all weird." Kanda mutters.

He stands back and gestures for me to start. I step forward and take a deep breath.

"Innocence, activate."


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the delay, I was in the hospital for a while due to my eating disorder and was sick, lethargic, anemic and out of energy, completely unable to write. Since then I have been recovering physically and mentally and just trying to get back to normal again. I hope some of you are still with me and the story 3**

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

The second the words escape my mouth, I erupt into the transition. It happens faster and more aggressively than ever before, like a river rushing through a dam that's finally given way. I stagger on my new legs and shake out my fur. A growl rumbles in my throat as I straighten out before Kanda.

"Did you get bigger?" Kanda asks, sizing up the beast. I let the growl rumble until it catches as a snarl in my mouth and a snap of my jaws. Kanda raises an eyebrow at me. I shake out my fur again and feel myself calming down from the sudden transformation.

"Alright, that's enough for now. Change back." Kanda says, crossing his arms.

I hesitate for a moment. The change gave me a sudden vitality that I haven't felt since the incident. But Kanda was right, I have gotten bigger. I unsheath my claws and dig them into the ground.

"I said change back." Kanda growls. My muscles tense up as I look over at Kanda. _Innocence._ The transformation comes on slowly at first. The black fur seeps back and my body shrinks and contorts in a flash of green light.I pick myself up off the ground and brush myself off. Kanda's watching me with an odd expression.

"Sorry…" I say.

"That was different." He grumbles.

"I didn't mean for it to be." I explain.

"It took you a while to change back."

"Yea, I dunno, I just got caught up in the new body. It's the best I've felt in a while."

Kanda watches me skeptically, arms crossed. I wait awkwardly for a few moments, fidgeting in front of him.

"Should I do it again?" I ask him.

"No." He answers quickly.

"Why? But it went well?" I blurt out, stepping towards him.

"I don't think it's a good idea just yet, something's off."

"Then what do I do if I can't activate? I have to get back to doing missions, I'm not staying on the sidelines forever, Kanda." I growl, irritated by his verdict.

To my surprise, he places a hand on my shoulder, quieting me down in an instant. He sighs and gives me an exasperated look. I shake him off.

"Look, I just think you should take it easy with this. It wasn't so long ago that you were passing out in front of the castle." Kanda says.

"You don't need to remind me." I grumble.

"Apparently I do." He says as I step back to phase back again.

"Inno-" Before I can get the words out, I'm interrupted by a loud door creak.

I turn around to see Lavi walking into the training room. My heart leaps when I see him. He looks more rested than usual, and he walks casually over to Kanda and I. As he gets closer, embarrassment washes over me. Remembering last night, I can't help but suddenly feel paranoid, like Kanda knows, or will know.

"L-Lavi." I stammer.

"What are you doing here?" Kanda sighs.

"I came to train with you guys, what else?" Lavi answers casually.

"You're just gonna distract her." Kanda says apathetically.

"I'll be well behaved, promise." Lavi grins, giving me a side glance that sends heat rushing to my face.

Kanda rolls his eyes but doesn't argue his point any further. He sets up a line of targets while Lavi places himself next to me. His shoulder nudges me and I look up to see him raising an eyebrow. The mischievous glint in his eye tells me he has no intention of behaving.

"Okay, no more activating, we need to work on hand to hand combat." Kanda says finally, adjusting one of the targets.

"Sounds good to me." Lavi says.

"No activating for now." I correct Kanda. He sighs but moves, but gestures for us to start.

After what feels like the longest half hour of warming up and being critiqued by Kanda, we finally move on to sparring. The first match is just Kanda and Lavi, then It's my turn to spar with Lavi. I shake out my muscles as I step into the sand pit arena, trying to swallow down the fluttering in my chest. I size him up, measuring his stance and body language, before Kanda signals for us to start.

I pause for a moment at his signal. _Should I not hit him hard? Is it rude to go all out on someone that I'm more than just friends with?_ Lavi makes the first move while I'm making up my mind. He steps in close and swipes for my head. I narrowly dodge in time, but he comes around again trying to put me in a choke hold.

This time, I don't make it out of the way. His arms wrap around my head and neck, firmly holding them in place. For a moment, I stand there, off balance, pathetically pushing at his hands.

 _Forget being gentle, there's no way I'm going easy on him._ I drive my elbow into his side. When the blow loosens his grip, I grab his arms and kick myself off the ground and flip over onto his shoulders. The movement releases me from his grip. I wrap my legs around his neck and and pull him down to the ground.

Lavi falls onto his back and tries to pry my legs from his neck, but he's too late. I lock the stance and hold him there. He fights it for a few seconds, but finally taps out. I release my grip and move back so I can stand up.

Kanda nods approvingly as Lavi gets up off the ground and dusts himself off. I smile triumphantly, but my victory is short lived. Kanda signals for the start of a new match, and while I'm still processing the gesture, Lavi is on the move.

I narrowly dodge another grab from him. Once I've got my head back in the game, I can avoid his grip almost effortlessly. It doesn't take him long to realize that submissions won't work at this phase of the fight. He changes suddenly to a boxing strategy. I throw up my forearms to block his punches. I more than match him in speed, but his power drives me back. Every hit threatens to break my defense.

Suddenly, he's not at arm's length anymore, he's right in my defensive zone, and his hits are becoming more compact. A quick burst of punches sends me frantically moving to block them all, but one breaks my position. I dip out of the way in time to miss the impact. He uses the opening to get in close and take the submission he wanted.

In an instant, he sweeps my feet from under me and with one hand, pushes me down to the ground, holding me there firmly. I blush when my gaze is forced to land on his face. Lavi grins when he sees my cheeks flush pink.

He loosens up his grip and I shove his hand away, throwing him off balance. He falls onto one shoulder and I take the chance to swing around and straddle over his hips. My legs pin down his knees and my knees pin down his arms.

"Hey-I thought the match was done!" Lavi exclaimes, confused by his current position.

"Match isn't over till your enemy is subdued." Kanda says lazily.

"She was subdued!" Lavi says, exasperated.

"She doesn't look subdued." Kanda sighs, turning away from the match. "But you do."

"Hah" I tease, "now the match is done."

I pick myself up off of Lavi and reach out a hand to help him up. He looks at me, shaking his head amused. He takes my hand and I pull him up. I look over to Kanda who is waiting with crossed arms.

"Sooo, I won…" I say to Kanda, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Your point?" He sighs impatiently.

"So I can activate now." I pry, dragging the tip of my boot playfully through the sand. He just stares at me unamused.

"Hey now, you sure that's such a good idea Sage?" Lavi asks, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yea, why not? We've already done it once today. Why do you want to keep me from using my innocence so badly, you guys?" I ask, flashing some puppy eyes in Lavi's direction.

"Why do you want to activate your innocence so badly?" Kanda counters.

"What's the point in being an exorcist if you can't use your innocence?"

"She's got a point there, Yu" Lavi admits, scratching the back of his head.

"What did I say about calling me that, baka usagi!" Kanda yells at Lavi, twitching. "Fine, activate your innocence, but when I say to deactivate this time, you better do it when I tell you to." He growls.

I grin victoriously and flip my hair back. I place a hand between Lavi and I before taking a few steps toward Kanda, to create more room for myself. _Innocence…_ Before I can even finish the thought, the activation begins. It doesn't even hurt as everything shifts and grows. I'm on all fours before I know it, completely changed.

Just like before, I feel stronger and more energized than when in my human form. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest and the blood rushing through my veins. I shake out my fur and let a growl roll through my chest. A grunt from my side draws my attention to Kanda. He watches me skeptically with crossed arms.

"Sage?" Lavi calls from behind me. I turn my head quickly towards his voice. He raises his eyebrows at me curiously. "How do you feel?"

 _Good_ the low growl picks up again in my throat, but I don't mean for it to.

"Careful, baka, she was like this last time too." Kanda tells him.

"Well she's not dangerous though. Are ya Sage?" Lavi says, walking up to me.

"Usagi!" Kanda yells.

In this form, my head nearly reaches his chest. The growl continues, low in my throat, vibrating my chest as he stands nearer. I don't mean to be growling at him, but this body seems to have a mind of its own, somewhere in my head where I can't see or control. I watch him wearily, unsure of just how much control I have over this form now.

He reaches out a hand and gives me a few firm pats on my side. With each thud, the growl dissipates until it dies out into nothing. His touch seems to bring me back into crystal clear control. My ears pin back and I lower my head, giving him a bump on the legs.

"There, that's better, see?" He coos.

 _Lavi_ I nuzzle his side and he laughs, giving me another pat on the side.

"Did you get bigger?" He asks, looking me over now.

"She definitely got bigger." Kanda answers, a little more relaxed now that the growling has stopped.

I look down at my paws and take a few turns sheathing and unsheathing my claws. They look bigger now too. Lavi looks to be amused, but Kanda seems more skeptical at the sight of my claws.

"Go ahead and change back now, Usagi." Kanda says.

 _Innocence..._ I listen to him this time. Less fixated on all the changes and upgrades. I deactivate quickly, finding myself back on the floor on my hands and knees. Lavi grabs my forearm and helps me back up to my feet.

"How long do you think I can sustain that now? It feels way better, like way, way, better. I have so much energy with it now and it's bigger. You even noticed. What do you think my synchronization rate is now?" I ask them.

"I think you should still take it a bit easy with it. You're still recovering anyways." Lavi answers.

"Yea but I feel better in that form than I do in this one." I tell him.

"That's enough for today." Kanda cuts in.

"Fine, but-agh!" I grab at my side and hunch over.

"Sage, what's wrong?" Lavi asks, jumping at my yelp, placing an arm on my back.

"Sore...just sore…" I sigh, rubbing at the aching scars on my ribs. "The wounds are still healing." I stand back up and catch my breath, still a bit stunned by the sudden pain. "I need to tell you guys something."

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter, I know it was a long time coming. I'm sorry for the delay...hopefully I can keep producing something on a decent time basis, I know I still have a lot of ideas for this story and I just rewatch some old DGM episodes as well as the new Hallow episodes and it's really got me hooked back on the story again. If you're still sticking with me, thank you ^.^ 3**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Lavi looks at me skeptically. Suddenly I feel nervous, maybe I don't want to tell them something. My hands rub together nervously. Lavi walks over to me, noticing the change in my behavior. He reaches for my clenched hands but I straighten myself out before he needs to.

"Let's get out of here first, it's nothing major. Let's clean up and eat before, maybe?" I tell them, turning towards the door.

"Sure." Lavi agrees, following behind me as I leave.

I look back at Kanda and nod towards the door. He glares at me for a moment, his eyes uncertain.

* * *

We sit in the cafeteria together, slowly eating our meals. Lavi sits across from me, next to Kanda, with his legs extended under the table so one of his boots rests against mine. My appetite has returned, nearly to normal, with the exception of the pain from my stomach trying to re-accommodate my large portions after weeks of only fluids and IV drips.

"So what did you need to tell us?" Lavi asks, turning his attention from his meal to me.

"It's nothing super important, just uh...something I suppose you should know." I say. Kanda looks up from his soba, eyeing me suspiciously.

"What is it?" Lavi asks.

"You know how when I was in the infirmary, my innocence started healing me on its own?" I start, speaking slowly, choosing my words carefully.

"Yea, what about it?" Lavi asks curiously. Kanda's eyes bore into me and I try to ignore him.

"Uh-Nothing, nevermind, I guess you guys already know." I say, suddenly desperate to divert the conversation. "I just wanted to tell you guys that it was my innocence. In case you didn't know, that's what was doing it." I say, fumbling a bit with my words.

"Yea, we knew. We were the ones who told you, remember?" Lavi presses, a bit confused now.

"Ah, yea haha" I laugh awkwardly, stabbing at my food with my fork, avoiding Kanda's blaring gaze "yea, you're right. I guess I forgot about that part. It was all really blurry, you know. Sleeping for days on end will do that to you I suppose." I laugh it off. My chest is tight and my face feels flushed. I'm suddenly very anxious about keeping secret the very thing I was going to tell them. _They can't know that it didn't act on its own. I can't just tell them that I made a deal with the wolf, Kanda is already suspicious and Lavi would freak out with worry._

"You alright there, Sage?" Lavi interrupts my thoughts, giving my foot a light nudge under the table.

"Me? Yea haha, sorry. My stomach just aches a bit from all the food. Not quite use to it yet." I lie, trying to pull off a convincing smile.

An odd look spreads across Lavi's face, but he nods and smiles and accepts my answer. Then his attention is being drawn from another source. I hadn't even noticed Bookman approaching us. He seems to exchange some silent words with Lavi before taking a few impatient retreating steps. Lavi sighs and gets up.

"Duty calls." He shrugs, stacking his plates into a neat pile.

"You have to go?" I ask, suddenly disappointed but still relieved by the diversion.

"Super fun and important Bookman stuff." Lavi sighs sarcastically.

"We'll see you later then?"

"Don't wait up, but yea, I'll find you after." He says, giving my head a pat before he follows after Bookman.

I stare back down at my plate and pick around at the food there. I don't look up, but I can still feel Kanda glaring at me.

"What?" I ask, refusing to look up.

"Were you going to tell him about what happened on our last mission together? Your little black out?" He asks.

"No." I say quietly, still picking at my plate, not wanting my answer to create more questions.

"Something new then?" He asks.

"No, it was nothing, I really did just forget about the innocence healy thing." He tell him, keeping my gaze down, staring at a particularly interesting shred of meat at the end of my fork.

"You know you laugh a lot when you lie." He sighs, looking back to his own food.

I ignore his reply and we sit silently for a few minutes. I know Kanda is picking up on whatever is going on with this new innocence situation. I don't think he knows what it is, but he can tell something is different. The way he looked at me when I phased earlier during training, it was like he didn't trust me. _So maybe I should tell them, or at least tell Kanda...but then telling them would just create more questions and more worries and more problems. We've had enough of that because of me from our last mission. So it's decided then. I keep it to myself._

As I finish the thought, a slight burning and tingling starts to grow on the crystal on my chest. I try to ignore it and take a bite of food. I focus on chewing and swallowing. A small spike shoots through the thin fracture running across the innocence crystal. I cough and struggle to swallow my food. Kanda looks up at me with a raised brow and a scowl.

"The heck was that?" He asks as I choke down my mouthful and place a hand over my innocence.

"It was spicy." I lie, rubbing at my chest.

Kanda rolls his eyes and goes back to eating his soba. I can feel my heart rate start to rise and the burning start to increase in my chest. _This could be another episode._ I shoot up from my seat and climb out from the bench.

"Where are you going?" Kanda asks.

"I forgot, I have to go do something." I tell him.

"Forgot what?"  
"Don't worry about it." I say stacking my plates quickly.

"Stop avoiding all my questions, what are you hiding." He growls.

"Nothing, I have to go do something." I say more frantically.

"You're a horrible liar." He presses.

"Oh my god, Kanda! It's a girl thing. I have a girl thing to take care of, if that's okay with you. Unless you want to come help me with my tampons." I blurt out, knocking over a few dishes.

Kanda sits there stunned for a moment and then his face goes pink. I look around for a moment and see that I may have said that a little louder than I meant to, because several finders are staring at me with the same pink faces as Kanda. I'll take it.

"Is that ok with you?" I say, crossing my arms and raising an my eyebrows at him.

"Uh-um. I mean go ahead." He trips over his words awkwardly and looks away in embarrassment.

"Thank you." I say sarcastically, turning quickly for the exit, taking my chance.

As I rush down the aisle and make for the corridor, a dumb-struck Kanda is still sitting at the table, pink faced and a bit shocked. I feel bad for embarrassing him like that, but he presses more than Lavi does and his questions are going to put me in a tough position. I don't like lying to them, but I will if I need to.

I make my way to my room and close myself inside. The burning in my chest radiates around the innocence. I grip at it and lean against the door. I feel hot and my heart races. _Maybe it's not the innocence, maybe its an infection._ I press at my sides, but they're all scars now, nothing is left open for infection.

The more the burning radiates, the more it starts to throb. I make my way to my bed and ease my way down so I can lay on my back. My hand rests on my innocence. It feels warm to the touch, like there's actually heat generating from the crystal itself. I close my eyes and take some deep breaths.

"What the hell, why are you hurting so bad?" I ask.

I wait as if there's going to be a response from the wolf, but of course there is none. The pain seems to plateau but I still feel hot. I unbutton the first few buttons on my coat and the cooler air on my chest feels amazing. _I'll stay here for a bit, wait for the burning to go down and the heat to disappear._

* * *

 **Dark woods surround me, the faint glow of the moon illuminating patches of blue light. I stand in a soft patch of light, holding my hand out, examining my pale skin, glowing against the darkness. My eyes adjust as I play in the moonlight. I know why I am here.**

 **The snap of a twig behind me makes me turn around. The wolf stands behind me, seeping out of the shadows like a phantom. It steps into the light, a soft halo of blue illuminating around its fur, just like on my skin. The beast stops in front of me, less than an arm's length from my face. It has gotten bigger, we're nearly eye to eye now. It seems calm as its eyes gaze into mine.**

" **Why do I still hurt. I thought we made an agreement to work together. I let you in, you help me." I say to the beast.**

 _ **My help doesn't come without consequence. I give you my power, but it needs to feed from somewhere. I'm not intentionally trying to hurt you.**_

" **So will it be like this everytime I activate then?" I ask, bringing my hand to the innocence on my chest.**

 _ **Not everytime, but healing your wounds was no small task, there is a balance needed here.**_

" **Right...and you're bigger. Why are you so much bigger?"**

 _ **You let me in, you stopped pushing me back. When you fully accept your innocence, it unleashes our true power. You've been suppressing us for so long and now you've only just begun to unlock our true potential.**_

" **When I activated earlier today, I felt you with me, I didn't have full control."**

 _ **That's what happens when you let me in, you don't get all my power and full control. You'll have to adapt to it. Learn to accept me as part of you, I am you anyway.**_

" **I'm not a wild animal." I growl.**

 _ **And yet there is the wolf inside you..**_

 **The beast turns from me and I watch as it seeps back into the shadows. As it disappears, I'm left in the woods alone again. The burning in my chest has died down, but as soon as I'm alone, a new feeling creeps up on me. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stand up and a cool breeze sends a chill down my spine. The breeze carries a sickeningly familiar sweet scent. Panicked, I spin around, wildly searching through the darkness. A shadow moves swiftly through the trees and a faint laugh echos in the night.**

" **Tyki-" I gasp.**

" **Sage~" The deep voice calls. "Sage~"**

 **The fracture in my innocence bursts with pain and I cry out, gripping at my chest, the voice still ringing in my ears. Then he grabs me, ripping me out of my shock and I fight him wildly, eyes squeezed shut, arms pounding at his body.**

* * *

I keep my eyes squeezed shut as two firm hands grip my shoulders, pulling me into a tighter embrace until my arms don't have any room to hit anymore and all I can do is push away at the body in front of me. A harsh gasp escapes me as I struggle as hard as I can. I'm terrified to open my eyes, unwilling to face Tyki and meet the fate he has planned for me.

"Sage…" A softer voice says.

Slowly, hesitantly, I stop pushing away at the body in front of me. The soft voice says my name again and I catch the smoky scent of my companion. I open my eyes slowly and look up at him. Relief floods over me as I take in his face. His one emerald eye looks down at me with a pained look.

"Lavi~" I sigh, relaxing into his grip as a hot tear escapes the corner of my eye.

"There she is." He says quietly, shifting me into his lap.

"I'm sorry-I hit you." I say, trying to smooth his coat with my shaky hands.

"No, it's fine. You were having another nightmare?" He asks.

"Yea, it's alright though, it was just-" I catch myself, not wanting to remember.

"Tyki" He says, his grip tightening "You were dreaming about him again, weren't you?"

I nod and look into his coat, unable to meet his gaze. He doesn't say anything for a few minutes, just sits there with me, gently rocking back and forth slightly to calm me down. He moves so he can look down at me and he holds me out a little further from him for a moment before pulling me back in.

"Do you have a fever?" He asks.

"No, I don't think so." I answer.

"You've been sweating quite a bit, was it all from the dream?"

"Oh, sorry, yea I guess so." I sit up and wipe my forehead with my sleeve. "I should go take a shower." I say.

I stand up and brush myself off, pulling back my messy hair. Lavi watches me for a moment. I don't like the pained look in his eye. I know he still feels guilty about last mission but he can't keep blaming himself can he? _I need to pull myself together so I don't keep appearing like this to him._

"I didn't mean to fall asleep, what time is it anyway?" I ask him, trying to sound more upbeat than i'm feeling.

"It's half past eight now." Lavi answers.

"Oh damn, so you've been working with Bookman this whole time. And where's Kanda?"

"Yea, god knows how long you've been struggling in here while I was sitting at a desk with the old Panda. And Kanda has been around, doing usual Kanda stuff, why?"

"I kinda yelled at him earlier, I should probably apologize." I say, rubbing the back of my head.

"Did he say something insensitive to you? He probably deserved it knowing Kanda, I wouldn't worry about it too much." Lavi laughs weakly.

"No, he didn't do anything. But anyway, sorry for worrying you, I should go get cleaned up." I say, walking towards my bathroom door.

I start unbuttoning my jacket and kick off my boots. When I turn around, Lavi is still sitting on my bed. I cock my head to the side in confusion, looking at him. He's leaning back, seemingly getting comfortable.

"You're not leaving?" I ask him surprised.

"No, I've been gone enough for today. I'll be here when you're done." He smiles, patting the bed next to him.

"Okay." I say quietly, grinning to myself as I turn around and walk into the bathroom, lightly closing the door behind me.

* * *

 **Hey guys, sorry if the updates come kind of slow but new chapters take some time while I'm still getting the hang of things. Glad some of you are still following the story ^.^ much love 3**


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